An 18-year-old YouTube star has opened up about the backlash she received after making $3.4 million on her first day on OnlyFans.
Piper Rockelle has recently faced immense scrutiny after revealing her staggering earnings on OnlyFans.
The content creator, who built a massive online following from the age of eight, has now taken to TikTok to address the criticism and highlight how hypocritical it is that the people who criticize her move to the adult platform are also the ones actively searching for her content online.
“You guys cannot convince me that I'm the gross one. Tell me why every single one of my search bars is, 'Piper Rockelle unblurred photos', 'Piper Rockelle leak photos', 'Piper Rockelle ass pics,'" she said.
"Y’all are so quick to hate it, yet so fast to search that s*** up,” she stated in her response, adding: "Who's the real gross one? You. Actually, I don't mind. If you're going on there, if you're buying s***, do whatever you want, take everything."
A Career Change and Control Over Her Story
Rockelle’s transition from YouTube to OnlyFans may have seemed sudden to some, but it was a decision she says she made carefully.
After turning 18 in August 2025, she began teasing her debut on the subscription platform, with a countdown on her social media profiles.
For her, the decision wasn’t just about the financial rewards but about taking control of her own narrative.
“If people are going to write my narrative and say that I've been exploited my whole entire life, go ahead, I'm exploiting myself,” she declared, per USA Today.
Rockelle is no stranger to public scrutiny. Having faced legal battles, including a lawsuit from former collaborators and a Netflix documentary that cast a spotlight on the darker side of “kidfluencing,” she has had her share of challenges in the public eye.
While she acknowledges the risks, especially with her young fan base, she is determined to own her story. “I enjoy doing what I'm doing,” she added. “I really don’t care what people have to say.”
A Childhood in the Spotlight
Rockelle’s fame was never ordinary. She started posting on YouTube at just eight years old and grew her following over the years with her appearances in videos alongside a group called “The Squad.”
This group, which posted viral pranks, orchestrated relationships, and 24-hour challenges, skyrocketed her to fame, and she amassed over 10 million subscribers at her peak.
However, her career hit a bump in 2022 when several members of The Squad filed a lawsuit against her mother, Tiffany Smith, alleging abuse and poor compensation.
The lawsuit, which was eventually settled for $1.85 million, was followed by YouTube demonetizing Rockelle’s channel, and she struggled with the toll the legal proceedings had on her mental health.
“I had so much being taken away from me; I had so much stress,” Rockelle recalls.
The public attention intensified after the 2025 Netflix documentary Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing aired, further examining the pressures and exploitation within the influencer industry.
As Rockelle enters the adult content space, many critics argue that her decision sets a dangerous precedent for her impressionable fan base.
Experts like Dr. Yann Poncin, a child psychiatrist, have voiced concerns about the impact of influencers like the YouTuber on teenage girls, and warned that they may view the lifestyle as aspirational without understanding the challenges behind it.
“I do think it creates an unrealistic sense of reality,” Poncin said. “This just really presents as an exciting lifestyle. These girls seem to have it together. They have things, they have money, they have the shining objects.”
Despite this, Rockelle is clear about her motivations. “That was a huge thought for me,” she said. “Once I did decide to do this, I was like, a lot of girls are going to be disappointed, and a lot of girls are possibly going to want to follow this life path that I'm doing.”
She’s aware of the influence she holds but maintains that she’s not trying to be a role model.
“You don't have to tell me what I'm doing, because I know,” Rockelle added. “I don't like when people write my own story.”
Despite the controversy, Rockelle remains focused on her goals. She hopes to use her earnings from OnlyFans to build a house and start a cat rescue.