Sounds Like A Cult – “The Cult of Kidfluencers”

Episode Date: April 7, 2026
Hosts: Amanda Montell, Reese Oliver, Iman Hariri-Kia
Guest: Forteza Latifi (Journalist, Author of Love, Like, Follow, Subscribe: Influencer Kids and the Cost of Childhood Online)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the complex and controversial world of kidfluencers—children who become social media stars, often amassing millions of followers and dollars while still in elementary or middle school. The hosts examine the kidfluencer phenomenon through their “cult” framework, probing questions about exploitation, fame, parental roles, algorithmic pressures, and the bleak or bizarre outcomes of growing up online. The conversation is grounded by real-life examples, pop culture references, and chilling recent cases, with journalistic insight from special guest Forteza Latifi.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Rise of Kidfluencers and Their Cultural Impact

• Kids Want to Be Influencers: Opening with the statistic that many children now aspire to be influencers rather than traditional “heroic” roles.

  "[When you ask kids what they want to be, the majority of them say influencers.]" – Forteza Latifi (01:51)

• Kidfluencers Blur Childhood and Adulthood: Amanda notes the oddness of seeing preteens in adult spaces due to online trends (e.g., 13-year-olds at Pilates classes imitating influencer routines).

2. Defining Kidfluencers

• Who Counts: Anyone under 18 made public by themselves or parents for online fame/profit, ranging from family vlog kids to self-starters like Ryan of Ryan’s World and JoJo Siwa. (10:24)
• Notable Archetypes:
  • Family vlogger kids
  • “Star” children (e.g., Ryan’s World, Piper Raquel)
  • Middle-schoolers launching skincare/haircare lines

3. From Child Star to Kidfluencer – Historical Perspective

• Roots in Entertainment and Law: The hosts trace the phenomenon to the evolution of child stars in television, mention of the Coogan Act of 1939 (requiring trust funds for child actors' earnings), and how social media upended traditional protections. (11:39)
• Dying Kids’ TV, Rising Algorithmic Fame: The pipeline has shifted from Disney/Nickelodeon stardom to DIY digital fame, with far less oversight or regulatory support.

4. Cultish Qualities of Kidfluencing

• Checklist:

  • Conformity & Dissociation: Mannerisms, catchphrases (“YouTuber voice”), curating persona for algorithm/engagement. (17:36)
  • Followers & Leaders: Dynamic often scrambled; parents, algorithm, and the audience all wield power.
  • Algorithmic Pressure: Success depends on trends and constant visibility—"everyone's going to be the same person".

• Viral Lottery and Low-Quality Fame: Obsession with virality and commodification of kids’ lives described as “mass consumerism” and “cultish”.

5. Real Dangers and Notable Cases

• Child Exploitation and Abuse: The discussion repeatedly circles back to the dangers inherent in the kidfluencer world, from emotional/financial exploitation to actual abuse, as in the Piper Raquel case. (07:49)
• Worst-Case Scenarios:
  • Piper Raquel: Sued mother/manager for abuse; audience speculated about her joining OnlyFans at 18—she did, making $2 million in a day.

    "That makes me sick to my stomach that people were waiting until she turned 18." – Reese Oliver (07:54)

  • Lil Tay and Danielle Bregoli also cited as kids who entered adult content creation (OnlyFans) immediately on reaching legal age. (53:14)
• Parents as Content Creators: Narratives abound of parental pressure, with parents as gatekeepers, exploiters, or simply as desperate breadwinners in the “viral lottery”.

6. Moment of Empathy: Why Some Parents Do It

• Economic Motives, Social Isolation: Guest Forteza Latifi expresses sympathy for some parent-influencers, many of whom are young mothers without prospects, seduced by the promise of upward mobility and community via social media. (43:33)

  "I feel a lot more sympathy than I expected for the parents who are at the head of this... a lot of times family vloggers start as young moms who... had a bunch of kids in rapid succession, never got to go to college... and then they find themselves in this system that totally locks them out of any economic opportunity." – Forteza Latifi (43:33)

7. Algorithm, Audience, or Parent: Who’s The Cult Leader?

• Ambiguous Power: Everyone except the child is implicated—tech companies, audiences, and parents all share blame, but the amorphous influence of algorithms makes assigning responsibility slippery. (33:00)

  "The cult leader is like everyone except for the kid." – Amanda Montell (35:11)
  "The responsibility to me lies with the parents and the government." – Forteza Latifi (34:13)

• Lack of Effective Regulation: Age restrictions on social platforms don’t protect children, since parents run accounts for kids.

8. Rituals, Lingo, and Community within Kidfluencers

• Rituals:
  • Filming “haul” or “get ready with me” (GRWM) videos (38:32)
  • Day-in-my-life shots, ASMR, group TikTok dances
  • Copycat setup: matching ring lights, mirrors, products
• Lingo:
  • Online-specific abbreviations and terminology (“GRWM”, “CPM”)
  • Hyperbolic language and identical vocal affect

  “I do think the vocal affect in itself... and everyone's gonna sound the same." – Reese Oliver (41:05)

• Identity Shaped by Trends: Hosts lament what’s lost when kids curate their personalities for algorithms rather than real development.

9. Shifting Public Perception & Societal Reckoning

• More parents now blur or hide children’s faces online, reflecting growing unease about the “attention economy” and exploitation. (23:33)
• Critical documentaries (e.g., Piper Raquel Netflix doc, Hulu’s Born to Be Viral) arise faster than ever before, showing cultural backlash and demand for scrutiny.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the sickening “adultification” of kidfluencers:

  "It is pretty sickening... affecting the lives of very, very young children and minors in a way that can follow them for the rest of their life. Like growing up in fucking Scientology.” – Amanda Montell (07:59)

• On the performance of private crises for views:

  "She has two pinned posts... one is a video of her son... dying. He's struggling to breathe, and the mom is holding him, and it seems like the dad is filming... the dad is just, like, keeps filming... It's her pinned post..." — Forteza Latifi (31:38)

• On the bleak economic engine behind influencer dreams:

  "...the American dream has kind of, like, blown to dust in front of our [eyes] and... the idea for... upward mobility is that you have to play the viral lottery and hit it." – Forteza Latifi (42:17)

• On the cult-y sameness and pressure to perform:

  "Everyone's gonna be the same person, and they're all gonna talk exactly like this." – Reese Oliver (17:36)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:51 – Kids aspire to be influencers; culture-shifting stat (Forteza Latifi)
• 03:29–09:38 – Defining kidfluencers, anecdotal evidence, nostalgic references
• 11:39–14:46 – Comparison to child stars, Coogan Act, transition from TV to social media, modern ‘culty’ structures
• 20:26–22:17 – Tech-facilitated parenting, pandemic isolation, and kidfluencing as a new “youth group”
• 23:33–24:39 – Cultural backlash; blurring kids’ faces, public anxiety over sharing
• 27:10–29:59 – Introduction of guest Forteza Latifi
• 31:38 – “Most messed up” exploitative story (medical crisis pinned for engagement)
• 33:00–35:16 – Who's the cult leader? Diffuse blame among parents, audience, algorithm
• 38:32–41:14 – Rituals, lingo, group behaviors among kidfluencers
• 43:33–45:46 – Economic motives, empathy for some parent-influencers
• 49:15 – The Piper Raquel exposé, aftermath, and OnlyFans path
• 51:48–52:18 – Advice for parents; you can’t “have it both ways” with privacy and content
• 52:46–56:26 – “Profit or Stop It” kidfluencer guessing game (comic relief)
• 57:02–57:17 – Cult classification: unanimous “Get the fuck out” verdict

Final Takeaways & Podcast’s Verdict

Cult Verdict: “Get The Fuck Out”

The hosts categorically place kidfluencing in the most dangerous “cult” category, citing the combination of exploitation, lack of meaningful regulation, loss of childhood, and the overwhelming role of profit and algorithmic pressure.

“I feel very strongly that this is a ‘get the fuck out.’” – Iman Hariri-Kia (57:02)
“There’s nothing good about this other than maybe Shirley Temple King.” – Amanda Montell (57:06)

Lingering Concerns

• Who will these kids become in adulthood? Hosts and guest express deep worry about long-term psychological, social, and economic consequences.
• “I feel deeply concerned about the next generation.” – Iman Hariri-Kia (57:21)

Notable and Lighthearted Moments

• The “Profit or Stop It” game (“Shirley Temple King” wins the panel’s affection but underscores the oddness of this fame pipeline) (52:46–56:26)
• Frequent meta-jokes about the “cultish” qualities of any community, whether it’s “youth group kids” or Waldorf/alternative school parents (21:43, 52:18)

Conclusion

The episode expertly mixes seriousness and wit, using scholarship, journalism, and pop culture savvy to dissect the world of kidfluencers. By the end, the hosts leave no doubt: the cult of kidfluencing is deeply harmful and demands urgent scrutiny—a “get the fuck out” scenario with profound implications for kids, parents, and society.

Further Reading & Guest Info:

• Forteza Latifi: @hiforteza
• Book: Love, Like, Follow, Subscribe: Influencer Kids and the Cost of a Childhood Online
• Podcast: Sounds Like A Cult