Brazil leads in misinformation about autism with a 15,000% increase in five years
An unprecedented study by FGV, in partnership with the association Autistas Brasil, analyzed over 60 million messages on Telegram and identified 150 false causes and cures for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
A study conducted by the Information Disorder and Public Policy Studies Laboratory (DesinfoPop/CEAPG/FGV), in partnership with the association Autistas Brasil, revealed that the volume of misinformation about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in digital communities across Latin America and the Caribbean grew by over 15,000% between 2019 and 2024. Brazil appears as the continent's leader in conspiratorial publications on the subject.
The research analyzed more than 60 million public messages on Telegram, with the participation of about 5 million users in 19 countries. It identified 150 false causes and 150 false cures related to autism. Among the most alarming content are unfounded claims that link autism to factors such as consumption of processed snacks, 5G radiation, and vaccines, as well as the promotion of dangerous “cures,” such as the use of toxic substances (like chlorine dioxide), electroshock therapies, and ingestion of colloidal silver.
According to the data, conspiracy theories about ASD reached at least 4 million users, totaling about 100 million views over a 10-year period. Brazil accounted for 46% of all this content, with more than 22,000 publications and 13.9 million views. Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, and Colombia follow.
“We are facing a digital epidemic. Miraculous cures and absurd theories have more reach than science. This puts lives at risk and turns misinformation into a business model,” warns Ergon Cugler, the study's coordinator, who is autistic and a member of DesinfoPop and the board of Autistas Brasil.
The study also highlights how conspiratorial communities on Telegram function as "digital cults," mixing pseudoscientific language, denialism, spirituality, and conspiracy theories. “The most serious aspect is that, within these bubbles, autism is treated as something to be combated or cured, reinforcing prejudices and promoting practices harmful to public health,” states Cugler.
Click here to access the study.
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