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  • 2016-10-20 (xsd:date)
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  • Does Peppa Pig Cause Autism? (de)
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  • On 20 October 2016, the website Morning News USA published a story (now with an editor's note that the claims have been debunked) reporting that a popular children’s television character named Peppa Pig caused children to develop autism by inspiring them to replicate her irreverent attitude toward authority. This transparent piece of clickbait, which was picked up by a number of other websites and social media accounts, cited a 2012 University of Harvard study: Outside of the clear misrepresentations of both autism and science, there are a number of equally obvious hints that this research is entirely fabricated. First of all, the University of Harvard is not a real place (Harvard University is, though). Second, Harvard University has not mentioned the study on any of their webpages and a brief search of Google Scholar reveals that this is because the study itself does not exist. Third, Marc Wildemberg, who probably doesn’t exist either, has never been associated with Harvard and has no web presence to speak of. The connection between autism and television was controversially suggested by an economist based solely on correlations between rain, cable television subscriptions, and autism rates in three states. The study, published as a non-peer reviewed National Bureau of Economic Research working paper, has since been widely criticized: Further, the assertion that autism is a learned behavior is not rooted any science. While the cause is unknown, many scientists believe it is the result of a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. Finally, to characterize autism as simply rude behavior offensively suggests that the behavior of an autistic person is necessarily bothersome, and intentionally at that. In reality, autism is composed of a broad spectrum of conditions related to an individual's ability to interact and behave socially. As defined by the CDC: This blatant piece of viral pseudoscience fear-mongering, however, is not the kind of help people with ASD or their parents and caregivers need. Morning News USA has since cast their own (muted) doubt on the story, updating their post with the caveat that University of Harvard epidemiologist Marc Wildemberg does not seem [to be] a credible person to claim that watching Peppa Pig can lead to autism. (en)
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