Social media has made autism too popular and anyone of any age can now have it, expert says
A UK autism specialist has warned that the condition is being overdiagnosed, arguing that social media has fuelled a surge in self-identification and made autism "too popular" as a label. The expert suggests that people of any age can now receive a diagnosis, raising concerns that genuine cases may become harder to distinguish from those prompted by online trends rather than clinical need.
The claim reflects a wider debate in the UK about rising autism diagnosis rates and the role platforms like TikTok play in encouraging people to self-identify with conditions based on shared symptoms or checklists. Critics of this trend argue it risks overwhelming already stretched NHS assessment services, while others caution against dismissing genuine late-in-life diagnoses. The full detail of the specialist's evidence and recommendations was not available in the source material provided.
- Expert claims social media has driven autism overdiagnosis in the UK
- Anyone of any age can now reportedly receive a diagnosis
- Concerns raised about distinguishing genuine cases from online trends
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Those sympathetic to Professor Frith's concern argue that clinical categories exist to identify people with substantial, life-altering support needs, and that this purpose is undermined when broad, informal checklists circulating on social media encourage people to self-identify based on traits common to many people, such as disliking small talk or valuing routine. They worry that stretching the diagnosis too far could dilute public understanding of autism, make it harder to secure scarce clinical and educational resources for those most in need, and risk medicalising ordinary variation in temperament. Their underlying values are diagnostic rigour, protecting services for the most severely affected, and preserving the scientific integrity of a category built on decades of careful research.
The case against
Those who welcome the rise in recognition argue that autism was long underdiagnosed, particularly in women, adults and people who learned to mask their traits, precisely because early diagnostic criteria (including from Frith's own generation of research) were built around a narrow, often male-centred presentation. On this view, social media has done valuable work by sharing lived experience that helped many people, especially those missed for years, recognise themselves and pursue formal diagnosis, support or simply self-understanding. Their underlying values are inclusion, correcting historical bias in medicine, and respecting individuals' right to make sense of their own experience rather than gatekeeping that understanding too tightly.