Wrong Planet (sometimes referred to by its URL, WrongPlanet.net) is an online forum for individuals with Asperger syndrome. The site was started in 2004 by Dan Grover and Alex Plank[1] and includes a chatroom, a large forum, a dating section, and articles describing how to deal with daily issues.
After a post to Slashdot describing an interview with Bram Cohen,[2] Wrong Planet grew; the success of Wrong Planet's Cohen interview spurred the site to produce a series of interviews with other figures in the Autism community such as author Temple Grandin and movie producer Joey Travolta. Wrong Planet has been referenced by the mainstream U.S. media[3] and has gained more than 10,000 registered members since its creation.
In 2005, a 19-year-old member of the site, William Freund,[4] gave Wrong Planet national mainstream publicity in the United States after being mentioned on Fox News[5] and programs such as Good Morning America after he donned a cape and paintball mask and went on a shooting rampage in Aliso Viejo, California. He shot and killed two people before going home and killing himself with a shot to the torso.
References[]
- ↑ PRWeb (July 1, 2004). Autistic Teens Create Website for People with Asperger's Syndrome. Press release.
- ↑ includeonly>"Interview with the Creator of BitTorrent", Slashdot, May 9, 2005.
- ↑ includeonly>"Creating an Asperger's Community", Washington Post, December 20, 2005, pp. HE02.
- ↑ includeonly>"William Freund Threatened 'Terror Campaign' On Web", CBS, November 1, 2005.
- ↑ includeonly>"Deadly Disorder?", Fox News, November 10, 2005.