Key takeaway:
- Jenna Ortega left X (Twitter) after seeing harrowing explicit images of herself as a teen.
- She could not do anything about the images, so she deleted her account in 2021.
- Not just her but other celebrities such as Taylor Swift and Xochitl Gomez have faced similar nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfake videos and images.
- Advanced AI tech has enabled this growing trend, affecting the typical school and college girl.
Actor Jenna Ortega revealed that she deleted X, formerly known as Twitter, after a “terrifying” experience where she encountered AI-generated pornographic images of herself as a minor on the platform.
In an interview with The New York Times published on Saturday, the 21-year-old reflected on her feelings towards artificial intelligence.
Reflecting on her early experiences with social media, Ortega recounted the disturbing incidents she faced as a young teenager.
Ortega, who stars in the upcoming film “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” shared that her introduction to Twitter at the age of 12 was marked by a shocking first direct message—an unsolicited photo of a man’s genitals.
The deluge of “explicit images and photos” became so overwhelming after the release of Wednesday in 2022 that Jenna Ortega ultimately decided to delete her account a couple of years ago.
Ortega mentioned that she is still learning how to protect herself online. Her concerns highlight a troubling trend of nonconsensual AI-generated deepfakes being created and circulated online, fueled by the increasingly accessible AI tools now available to the public.
The AI powered advanced app and software that remove clothing or reveal nudity in photos, along with tools that replace faces with victims’ faces in explicit content, have mostly victimized women and girls.
According to deepfake analyst Genevieve Oh and advocacy group MyImageMyChoice, last year saw an increase in nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfake videos compared to all previous years combined.
we need to regulate ai IMMEDIATELY.
— poppy 🦋 (@imnotpopbase) August 25, 2024
The study discovered that Ortega ranks as one of the top 40 celebrity women targeted on the largest deepfake platform. A mobile app advertised online this year with manipulated images claiming to use AI to undress women, specifically using a blurred photo of Ortega at 16 years old.
The advertisements demonstrated how Perky AI could alter Ortega’s attire in pictures by following written instructions like “Latex costume,” “Batman underwear,” and eventually, “No clothes.”
In January, while still 17, Xochitl Gomez, a teenage actress famous for playing America Chavez in “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness,” revealed that she had discovered unauthorized sexually explicit deepfake videos of herself on social media, which her team struggled to remove.
this is so sad and disturbing . we genuinely need stricter laws to stop digital sexual harassment.
— Honest Andrew 🥀 (@andrewscomet) August 25, 2024
During that very month, Taylor Swift also fell victim to the same technology. Nonconsensual deepfake videos showing her naked and in sexual situations spread widely on X, leading it to temporarily block searches of her name.
However, it is not only famous people who are aimed at. During the previous school year, fake nude photos created using artificial intelligence have been targeting teenage girls in the United States more frequently.
While some states have passed laws against deepfake pornography, the legal options are diverse and not consistent nationwide. It is in the hand of tech giants, government and local enforcement agencies to put a stop to this growing trend.
For more news and trends, visit AI News on our website.
