Ariana Greenblatt Says Disney Pushed Her to Get on Social Media

Ariana Greenblatt recently opened up about her complicated relationship with social media in an interview with Cosmopolitan’s online issue.

The young actress, who began her career on the Disney Channel, revealed that she was encouraged to join social media at a young age.

“When I was on the Disney Channel, they were like, ‘You need social media,’ and my dad didn’t let me,” Greenblatt said. She explained that although she technically created accounts at age seven, she didn’t really use them until she was about 13, when she wanted to appear “cool.”

Greenblatt admitted that social media can have a serious negative effect on her mental health. “I deleted TikTok off my phone a week ago after having to wean myself off of it. Social media is a drug. It’s fully a drug,” she said.

She described how quickly her mood can change after scrolling through negative comments. “I’ll go from having a great day to seeing five videos and truly feeling sick to my stomach—the rest of the day is ruined. It’s crazy how one scroll can completely change my mood and even the physical state of my body,” she explained.

To cope, Greenblatt talks to her brother, Gavin, who reminds her that “This is not real.” She also deactivated her main account for a time and relied on a private account to check on friends.

Greenblatt highlighted a difference between TikTok and Instagram. “With TikTok, the negative comments go to the top, but I have to work a lot harder to find negative things on Instagram. I love posting on Instagram Stories. Creatively, I like creating stuff like that,” she said.

She also noted how social media has affected her perception of herself as an actor. “I found myself caring so much about how I look because social media takes scenes I’ve acted in and edits them. That’s the last thing you need in acting, all the extra opinions,” she said.

Her experience is part of a larger trend in Hollywood, where many actors have said that casting decisions can be influenced by an actor’s social media following. Having a strong online presence can now affect career opportunities as much as talent in some cases.

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