The latest theory...

[EvilZakkie]

Apparently social networking sites can cause Autism:

http://gnews.com/technology/Too-Much-Facebook-could-cause-Autism-in-Children-03101017358.html

...But only in areas with high rainfall. *grins*

[Pikajedi3]

gu..bu...fuh...wh...*speechless*

alright, hand in those scientist cards and

[hyke]

And before the computer era...

It was books of course.

(My parents never blamed autism for me being in my own world. They knew the seduction of books. And annoyed as they sometimes were, they were proud to have a child with a world of her own too)

Of course, books are also read more in areas with heavy rainfall.

All those aspie librarians. Proof in abundance.

[pup]

I have a quick solution.

We need to immediately and without argument take Ms Greenfield's computer access away. Sorry Ms Greenfield, no computer for you. What? You say you need to use computers to do your work... such as... for scaring people not to use computers? No, I'm sorry. Your parents and grandparents didn't use a computer and managed to work plenty (and probably paid for you to go to that fancy school). Now be off with you and leave us to get back to what we're good at.

It's a darn shame I'm not in the IT department at her facility.

[Smoke]

At least the article points out it's just one person's theory, with no research at all to back up the hypothesis. It'd be much, much worse if they took the OMFWTFBBQ A scientist sed it so it must be troooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!! line that sometimes happens.

Someone needs to point out that autistic people are generally not ATTACTED to noises and lights... quite the opposite. *smack* for lazy boffin with no clue.

Some really interesting comments there, though...

[mirthmonkey]

So before there was widespread Facebook access...pre-natal book exposure?

[andrew_w]

Ah, our old friend the psychogenic hypothesis. I thought everyone got over that in the 70s and 80s. I guess there's still a few holdouts.

[Bella]

I'd like to see the interviews they have done with the 3 year old autistic facebook users...

[mirthmonkey]

Jimmy doesn't speak. But he does use Facebook to communicate with people online. Watch him type his miraculous, inspirational story as he rocks and flaps with Teletubbies in the background.

Forget Facebook...

*facepalm*

Facebook is actually a site I have never been on, aside from that time when we were trying to get that hate site taken down...