‘It’s Just a Photo’: Face of Obamacare Website Condemns ‘Cyberbullying’

Going only by “Adriana,” the woman whose smiling visage was used as the face of the early weeks of Healthcare.gov told ABC News she had been “cyberbullied” after the website’s toxic rollout.

“They have nothing else to do but hide behind the computer,” Adrianna told ABC News’ Amy Robach. “They’re cyberbullying,”

“I mean, I don’t know why people should hate me because it’s just a photo. I didn’t design the website. I didn’t make it fail, so I don’t think they should have any reasons to hate me.”

Last summer Adrianna contacted Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversaw the launch of the Affordable Care Act and was offering free photos in exchange for permission to use photos in ACA materials. She said she knew her photo would be used, but was surprised when it became the focus of so much vitriol, and was relieved when her face was removed from the homepage.

“I wanted the picture down,” she said, “and they wanted the picture down. I don’t think anybody wanted to focus on the picture.”

In response to rumors that Adriana, who is from Colombia, was not a legal citizen, she told ABC that her husband and son were both U.S. citizens, and that she was a permanent resident seeking citizenship.

Watch the segment below, via ABC News:

[h/t ABC News]

[Image via CBS News]

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