The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has once again sparked outrage on social media after its old billboard has resurfaced online. More than a decade its launch, reportedly in 2008, the PETA ad linked drinking milk caused autism. The campaign appears to be brought back to people’s attention by a Twitter user, and the controversial ad pic has now gone viral. The ad shows a bowl of cereal, making a frowny face, accompanied by the slogan, “Got autism?” The tag line further elaborates, “Studies have shown a link between cow’s milk and autism.” The animal rights’ group has once again found itself on the line of criticism, with people calling it outrageous and misleading.

When the billboard ad was featured in 2008, it sparked similar outrage, especially among the autistic groups. The ad was reportedly taken down, but the article supporting the claim exists on PETA’s website, to this day. The resurfaced PETA feature argued that children suffering from autism, a disease "marked by anti-social behavior like screaming and obsessive repetition of actions, which takes an enormous emotional toll on sufferers and their families," improved dramatically when switched to a diet free of casein (a protein found in cow milk). PETA Called out James Charles for Buying Puppy from a Breeder And Fans Are Not Having it! 

The campaign often resurfaced over these years, and the latest tweet by Lily Simpson, once again raged people online. “No f*cking way did Peta just do this,” reads the tweet. The viral tweet garnered thousands of reactions, likes, and comments.

People Are Raged Over the Ad!

Only If!

The Ad Campaign is Disrespectful

The organisation’s claims were based on two studies that looked at 20 children when they were put on a diet free of gluten, gliadin and casein, a protein found either in grains or milk. The studies were from 2002 and 1995, as noted by TIME in a 2014 article. PETA has been getting criticism since the ad was resurfaced on the internet. However, in the light of the criticism, the science so far has very limited findings on autism and dairy-free diet. Indian Railways Delivers Camel Milk for Autistic Child in Mumbai After Mother’s Request Tweet Goes Viral, Know Health Benefits of Camel Milk. 

According to a study, published in WebMD, highlights that some parents of children with autism believe their kids are allergic or sensitive to the components found in a gluten-free diet. No allergy is confirmed, but many parents still choose to offer the GFCF diet and some report there are benefits such as changes in speech and behaviour. There is an absence of scientific evidence that individuals with autism have more gluten or casein sensitivities than those who do not have autism. The billboard ad is not the first attack on milk by PETA. The animal rights group in the previous statements have linked milk to other diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 05, 2021 12:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).