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Wrong Planet

Type of site	Virtual community
Available in	English
Owner	Alex Plank
Created by	Alex Plank and Dan Grover
URL	wrongplanet.net
Registration	Optional
Launched	2004; 20 years ago (2004)
Current status	Active

Wrong Planet (sometimes referred to by its URL, wrongplanet.net) is an online community for "individuals (and parents / professionals of those) with Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, ADHD, PDDs, and other neurological differences". The site was started in 2004 by Dan Grover and Alex Plank and includes a chatroom, a forum, and articles describing how to deal with daily issues. Wrong Planet has been referenced by the mainstream U.S. media. Wrong Planet comes up in the special education curriculum of many universities in the United States. A page is dedicated to Wrong Planet and its founder in Exceptional Learners: Introduction to Special Education.

History

In 2006, Alex Plank was sued by the victims of a 19-year-old member of the site, William Freund, who shot two people (and himself) in Aliso Viejo, California, after openly telling others on the site that he planned to do so.

In 2007, a man who was accused of murdering his dermatologist posted on the site while eluding the police. Wrong Planet was covered in a Dateline NBC report on the incident.

In 2008, Wrong Planet began getting involved in autism self-advocacy, with the goal intended to further the rights of autistic individuals living in the United States. Alex Plank, representing the site, testified at the Health and Human Services's Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.

In 2010, Wrong Planet created a television show about autism called Autism Talk TV. Sponsors of this web series include Autism Speaks. The show is hosted by Alex Plank and Jack Robison, the son of author John Elder Robison. Neurodiversity advocates have accused Plank of betraying Wrong Planet's goal for autism acceptance by accepting money from Autism Speaks for this web series.

References

1. "About Wrong Planet - Wrong Planet Wrong Planet". Wrong Planet.
2. "Autistic Acceptance, the College Campus, and Technology: Growth of Neurodiversity in Society and Academia". Disability Studies Quarterly. Fall 2008. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2010-07-04.
3. "Creating an Asperger's Community". Washington Post. December 20, 2005. pp. HE02. Archived from the original on February 25, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
4. Szalavitz, Maia (February 27, 2007). "Gifted? Autistic? Or Just Quirky?". The Washington Post. p. HE01. Archived from the original on February 21, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2017.
5. "'Autistics don't want to be cured'". Chicago Tribune. April 2, 2008. Archived from the original on April 5, 2008. Retrieved April 7, 2008.
6. Deardorff, Julie (2008-05-11). "A road to recovery?". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2008-07-09. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
7. "The New Wave of Autism Rights Activists - New York Magazine". 23 May 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
8. Hallahan, Dan (2006). Exceptional Learners: Introduction to Special Education (10th ed.). Allyn & Bacon. p. 452. ISBN 0-205-44421-0.
9. Hann, Michael. A loaded discussion. The Guardian, November 14, 2005. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
10. Tran, Mia (November 18, 2006). "Relatives sue over shotgun slayings". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 21, 2015.
11. "Dermatologist's Accused Killer Apparently Blogged About His Emotions". WBBM. 2007-09-13. Archived from the original on 2021-03-22. Retrieved 2008-03-20.
12. "Appointment for Murder". Dateline NBC. 2008-03-16. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
13. "IACC Full Committee Meeting Minutes - March 14, 2008". Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. March 14, 2008. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
14. "Introducing Autism Talk TV". Autism Speaks. March 15, 2008. Archived from the original on July 1, 2012. Retrieved November 19, 2010.
15. Lassiter, Zachary (19 November 2012). "Self Advocates Accuse Autism Speaks; Alex Plank of Starting Sock Puppet Organization - Disability And Me". Disability And Me. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.

External links

• Official website
• Wrong Planet at IMDb

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