“Social media has everything: the good, the bad and the ugly. Some celebrities have started to get real about the impacts of social media in their lives and dealing with online hate on a daily basis. Keep reading to see what your fave celebs have said on the matter.
Wednesday actress Jenna Ortega spoke about how “manipulative” the internet can be during Variety‘s actors on actors interview with Elle Fanning in June 2023.
“It gets ugly,” Jenna began, explaining that she was pressured to build her following from a young age during her time on Disney Channel.
“When I was younger, they would take us to media training — Disney 101 or something like that — where they would say, ‘You’re going to post three times a day. This is how you build followers, engage, promote our show,’” she recalled. “You could go into an audition or meeting, and it was, ‘How many followers do you have?'”
The Netflix star continued that social media can be “such a comparing game” for people her age, as well as influence “bandwagon mentality,” calling it “very manipulative.”
“Because I naturally tend to be sarcastic or dry, it’s very easy for me to find myself in trouble,” she said, explaining that her personality is often misinterpreted online. “I want people to be able to get to know the people behind the camera and realize that people should never be put on a pedestal.”
“And the more I’ve been exposed to the world, people prey on that and take advantage of that. They see your vulnerability a
nd twist it in a way that you don’t always expect,” she said while tearing up. “It’s so strange. Sorry, I didn’t mean to do this.”
Jenna isn’t the only Disney Channel alum that has spoken out about her qualms with social media. Former Disney star Selena Gomez has opened up a handful of times about navigating internet toxicity, explaining that she took a four-year break from social media during an interview with Good Morning America in April 2022.
“I understand how powerful the internet is, and in so many ways it’s done the best things for the world,” she began, before revealing that she removed herself from social media as to no longer feels plagued by the intense scrutiny that Instagram, in particular, placed her under.
“I woke up one morning and looked at Instagram, like every other person, and I was done,” she recalled. “I was tired of reading horrible things. I was tired of seeing other people’s lives. After that decision, it was instant freedom.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see all of the celebrities who have spoken out against social media and online hate.
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