Jenna Ortega reveals she deleted Twitter after receiving AI-generated explicit images of herself

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On The New York Timesโ€˜ podcast The Interview, Jenna Ortega didnโ€™t mince words about her feelings towards AI. โ€œI hate AI,โ€ she stated bluntly. While acknowledging its potential for good, particularly in medicine, Ortega shared her unsettling experiences with the technology.

Jenna Ortega, known for her roles in horror shows like Wednesday and movies such as Scream and X, has always been drawn to the spooky side of entertainment. However, the young actress has faced a different kind of fear since becoming famous as a child star on the Disney Channel โ€“ one that stems from artificial intelligence.

โ€œDid I like being 14 and making a Twitter account because I was supposed to and seeing dirty edited content of me as a child? No. Itโ€™s terrifying. Itโ€™s corrupt. Itโ€™s wrong. Itโ€™s disgusting,โ€ Ortega revealed, highlighting the dark side of AI in social media.

Critics Choice Association's 2nd Annual Celebration Of Latino Cinema And Television
American actress Jenna Ortega arrives at the Critics Choice Associations 2nd Annual Celebration Of Latino Cinema And Television held at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel on November 13, 2022 in Century City, Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency)

The actress, who starred in Disneyโ€™s Stuck in the Middle in 2016, disclosed that she encountered explicit content when she joined social media platforms. Her first experience was shocking and inappropriate for her age.

โ€œThe first [direct message] I ever opened myself when I was 12 was an unsolicited photo of a manโ€™s genitals. And that was just the beginning of what was to come,โ€ she shared. Even more disturbing, Ortega mentioned receiving AI-generated child pornography of herself.

The pressure to maintain an online presence for career reasons led to more unpleasant experiences. โ€œI used to have that Twitter account and I was told that, โ€˜Oh, you got to do it, you got to build your image.โ€™ I ended up deleting it about two to three years ago because the influx after the show [Wednesday] had come out, of these absurd images and photos, which is so repulsive, and I already was in a confused state that I just deleted it because it was unnecessary, and I didnโ€™t need that.โ€

USA - Miller's Girl World Premiere - PSIFF - Cathedral City
Jenna Ortega at the Millerโ€™s Girl World Premiere โ€“ PSIFF at the Mary Pickford Theater on January 11, 2024 in Cathedral City, CA. Photo by Carrie Nelson.

Ortegaโ€™s role as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series Wednesday, a spinoff from the classic The Addams Family, catapulted her to new levels of fame. The showโ€™s popularity, particularly a viral dance scene featuring Ortega, intensified her online presence.

Now 21, Ortega reflected on her past use of Twitter (now X) for sharing political and personal views. However, the onslaught of disturbing content eventually led her to abandon the platform.

โ€œAnd then I was grated with this stuff and itโ€™s just disgusting,โ€ she explained, adding that the content made her feel โ€œbadโ€ and โ€œuncomfortable.โ€

World Premiere Of Netflix's 'Wednesday' Season 1
American actress Jenna Ortega wearing Versace arrives at the World Premiere Of Netflixโ€™s โ€˜Wednesdayโ€™ Season 1 held at the Hollywood American Legion Post 43 at Hollywood Legion Theater on November 16, 2022 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency)

Ortegaโ€™s experiences shed light on the darker aspects of fame and technology, especially for young stars in the digital age.

โ€œI deleted it because I couldnโ€™t post without seeing such content. I didnโ€™t need that daily exposure. One day, I just woke up and thought, โ€˜I donโ€™t need this anymore.โ€™ So I let it go,โ€ Ortega explained.

Ortega mentions sheโ€™s learning self-protection strategies. She still maintains an Instagram account.


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