Jenna Ortega, the star of Netflix's hit series "Wednesday," has revealed that she deleted her X account (formerly Twitter) after receiving AI-generated explicit images of herself as a teenager. In an interview with The New York Times, the 21-year-old actress discussed her role in the upcoming film adaptation of "Klara and the Sun" and opened up about her negative experiences with social media and artificial intelligence.

Ortega said she created a Twitter account at age 14 as part of her career obligations but soon encountered disturbing content. "I hated AI. I mean, here's the problem: AI could be used for incredible things. I think I saw something the other day where they said artificial intelligence was able to detect breast cancer four years before it progresses. That's beautiful. Let's stop there. Did I like having 14 and creating a Twitter account because I was supposed to and discovering rough montages of myself when I was a child? No. It's terrifying. It's unhealthy. It's wrong," she told the publication.

The actress also recalled that the first message she opened herself at age 12 was an unsolicited photo of male genitalia. "And that was just the beginning of what was to come," she added.

Ortega explained that the explicit images generated by artificial intelligence increased significantly after the global success of "Wednesday" in 2022. She eventually deleted her account two or three years ago. "I ended up deleting it because of the influx of messages after the show came out — those absurd images and photos, and I was already in such a state of confusion that I just deleted it," she said.

The experience left her feeling disgusted and uncomfortable. "It was disgusting. It made me feel bad. It made me uncomfortable. Anyway, that's why I deleted it, because I couldn't say anything without seeing something like that. So one day I woke up and said, 'Oh, I don't need this anymore.' So I let it go," she concluded.

The Growing Problem of AI-Generated Explicit Content

Ortega's experience is not unique. The rise of generative AI tools has made it easy for malicious actors to create non-consensual explicit images, often targeting celebrities, public figures, and increasingly, ordinary individuals. Deepfake technology, which uses machine learning algorithms to superimpose faces onto existing videos or images, has been used to create realistic-looking pornographic content without the subject's consent.

Research published by Home Security Heroes in 2023 found that 96% of deepfake videos online were pornographic, with 99% of them targeting women. Celebrities like Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson, and Emma Watson have been victims of such attacks. In Swift's case, explicit deepfake images spread across social media platforms in early 2024, prompting statements from her team and calls for stricter legislation.

While some states in the U.S. have introduced laws targeting non-consensual deepfake pornography, enforcement remains challenging. The images are often created using publicly available AI tools hosted in foreign jurisdictions, making it difficult for victims to pursue legal action. Platforms like X, formerly Twitter, have policies prohibiting synthetic or manipulated media that can cause harm, but enforcement is inconsistent.

Ortega's Early Career and Rise to Stardom

Jenna Ortega began her acting career as a child, appearing in television shows such as "Jane the Virgin," "The Walking Dead," and "Stuck in the Middle." Her breakout role came in 2019 with the Netflix series "You" as Ellie Alves, followed by her critically acclaimed performance in the 2022 horror film "Scream." However, it was her starring role as Wednesday Addams in Tim Burton's Netflix series "Wednesday" that catapulted her to global fame. The show became one of the most-watched English-language series on the platform, breaking records held by "Stranger Things."

Ortega has since become one of Hollywood's most sought-after young actors. She will appear in the upcoming sequel "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," directed by Tim Burton, scheduled for release in September 2024. She is also set to star in Leos Carax's film "Lily May B" and has been cast in the film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel "Klara and the Sun," where she plays a robot.

Throughout her career, Ortega has been vocal about the pressures of social media and the impact of online harassment. In a 2023 interview with Elle magazine, she discussed how she manages her mental health while navigating fame. "I think it's important to step back and realize that these platforms are not real life," she said. "The comments, the images, the expectations — none of it reflects who you are as a person."

The Psychological Toll on Teenage Celebrities

Ortega's disclosure highlights the specific vulnerabilities of teenage celebrities who often have little control over their online presence. When she created her Twitter account at age 14, she was already a working actor but still a minor. The unsolicited explicit content she received as a 12-year-old, before she even had her own account, points to the pervasive nature of such abuse.

Studies have shown that exposure to explicit content at a young age can lead to anxiety, depression, and body image issues. For celebrities who are constantly in the public eye, the pressure is magnified. The knowledge that fake explicit images are circulating online can cause lasting emotional harm.

Ortega's decision to delete her account came after years of enduring this abuse. She stated that she could not post anything without encountering such images. This reflects a broader pattern among public figures who have chosen to leave social media platforms to protect their mental health. Selena Gomez, Gigi Hadid, and other celebrities have taken breaks or deleted apps after facing online harassment.

Legislative and Platform Responses

In response to the growing crisis, several legislative efforts have been made. The United Kingdom's Online Safety Act, passed in 2023, includes provisions that criminalize the sharing of deepfake intimate images. The European Union's Digital Services Act also requires platforms to address illegal content, including non-consensual deepfake pornography.

In the United States, the DEFIANCE Act (Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits) has been introduced in Congress but has not yet passed. The bill would allow victims of deepfake pornography to sue perpetrators. Meanwhile, states like California, Virginia, and Texas have enacted their own laws. However, enforcement remains difficult, particularly when content is generated anonymously or hosted overseas.

Social media platforms have also updated their policies. X's policy on synthetic and manipulated media states that it will label or remove content that is deceptively altered and could cause harm. Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removed deepfake pornographic content of Taylor Swift in early 2024 and invested in detection technologies. But critics argue that platforms are not doing enough to proactively find and remove such content before it spreads.

Ortega's revelation has reignited discussions about the need for stronger protections against AI-generated abuse. As generative AI becomes more accessible, the potential for misuse grows. The actress's call for a "limit" on AI applications is a sentiment shared by many in the entertainment industry and beyond.

Ortega's upcoming projects, including the "Beetlejuice" sequel and "Klara and the Sun," ensure she will remain in the public eye. But her experience serves as a cautionary tale about the darker side of fame in the digital age. As she told The New York Times, "I don't need that. So I let it go."

Source: CNEWS News