Actress Receives AI-Generated Explicit Images, Leaves Social Media
Jenna Ortega reported receiving AI-generated explicit images of herself as a minor on Twitter and deleted her account as a result. The actress described the experience as "terrifying" and "corrupt," noting the influx of such content increased after her show Wednesday aired.
What happened
Jenna Ortega revealed in an interview with The New York Times released August 24, 2024, that she received AI-generated pornographic images of herself as a child through direct messages on Twitter.
Ortega stated she deleted her Twitter account two to three years prior (around 2021-2022) due to an influx of explicit images and photos after the Netflix show Wednesday aired. She noted the first unsolicited direct message she opened herself at age 12 was a photo of a man's genitals, which she described as the beginning of ongoing harassment.
Reported impact
Ortega described the experience as "terrifying," "corrupt," "wrong," and "disgusting." She said the content made her feel bad and uncomfortable, and ultimately prompted her to abandon the social media platform.
The actress stated she was 14 when she created the Twitter account because she was told she needed to build her image, but the harassment led her to delete it without further explanation to followers.
Index analysis
According to the Washington Post, cited in the article, the barrier to creating realistic AI pornography, known as deepfake pornography, is lower than ever and is of particular concern to women who are often targeted with manipulated and false imagery. The problem has affected Twitch streamers and celebrities including Taylor Swift.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.