TLDR:
- Jenna Ortega deleted her Twitter account after receiving explicit AI-generated photos of herself as a minor
- Ortega expressed strong dislike for AI misuse, calling it “terrifying” and “corrupt”
- She received unsolicited explicit content from age 12 on social media
- Ortega initially created social media accounts to build her image as an actress
- She still maintains an Instagram account with over 38 million followers
Jenna Ortega, the 21-year-old star of Netflix’s “Wednesday” and the upcoming “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” recently revealed that she deleted her Twitter account after receiving explicit AI-generated images of herself as a minor.
In an interview on The New York Times’ podcast “The Interview,” Ortega expressed her strong dislike for the misuse of artificial intelligence technology.
Ortega, who began her acting career at the age of nine, shared her experiences with social media harassment from a young age.
She recounted that her first direct message on social media, received when she was just 12 years old, contained an unsolicited photo of a man’s genitals. This incident, she said, was “just the beginning of what was to come.”
The actress explained that she initially created social media accounts because she was told it would help build her image as an actress.
However, the influx of inappropriate content, especially after the success of her show “Wednesday,” became overwhelming. Ortega described the AI-generated images as “disgusting,” saying they made her feel “bad” and “uncomfortable.”
“Did 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. It’s terrifying. It’s corrupt. It’s wrong,” Ortega stated in the interview.
While Ortega acknowledges the potential benefits of AI in fields such as medical advancements, she emphasized her distaste for its misuse in creating explicit content, especially involving minors. She described the practice as “repulsive” and “corrupt.”
The decision to delete her Twitter account came about two to three years ago, following an increase in the volume of “absurd images and photos” she received after the premiere of “Wednesday.”
Ortega explained that she woke up one day and realized she didn’t need the platform anymore, leading to her decision to remove her account.
Despite deleting her Twitter account, Ortega still maintains an Instagram presence with over 38 million followers.
She described the process of managing her social media presence as part of “learning” to protect herself in the entertainment industry.
Ortega’s experience sheds light on the darker side of fame and the potential dangers of social media for young actors.
She reflected on her decision to start acting at a young age, saying that while there are times she and her parents regret it, she wouldn’t change anything due to the valuable lessons and experiences she gained.
The actress, who stars in the upcoming horror film “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” continues to navigate her career and public presence with caution.
