Bot activity amplified unproven link between autism and Tylenol on X: report

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Tylenol may have a bot problem.

In late September, President Trump directed the FDA to warn those who are pregnant against use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, citing an unproven link between taking the medicine and rates of autism. (At the time, researchers said they needed more evidence; a more recent review published in the British Medical Journal found no link between use of acetaminophen and diagnoses of autism or ADHD.)

Following President Trump’s directive, bots seem to have driven and amplified the conversation, according to a new report from narrative intelligence platform PeakMetrics. Nearly a third of posts about Tylenol from September 19 to November 4 on X were likely bot-driven, according to PeakMetrics, which reviewed 437,131 posts across X.

According to Peak Metrics, 93% of the suspected bot activity was “reposting existing content, extending reach and lifespan of emotionally charged narratives.” More than half (65.8%) of the conversation on X about Tylenol was unfavorable toward the brand, according to PeakMetrics, which also noted that, across those posts, “themes of parental guilt, loss of trust, and frustration toward pharmaceutical companies” were prominent.

“The conclusion of this data, to me, is that by volume of conversation, it makes sense that the stuff that was unfavorable to Tylenol was the biggest share of the data,” Molly Dwyer, director of insights at PeakMetrics, told Marketing Brew. “Algorithmically, [that’s] how these things work, right? Something that causes outrage is going to get boosted, and therefore it’s going to incentivize bots to post about it.”

Tylenol did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Positive narratives around Tylenol didn’t gain nearly as much traction, according to the report, which also stated that the unfavorable posts seemed to serve as confirmation for those who are already skeptical of “mainstream medicine, pharmaceutical companies, and government health guidance.”

Dwyer advised that marketers looking to combat bot activity may need to do more than simply release “factual rebuttals” of the amplified messages.

“How can you lean into some emotionally driven narratives in what you’re putting out there,” Dwyer said. “Even if it is really meant to be like a factual rebuttal, I think the more that you can humanize it, [the better].”

Bots aren’t just a problem for Tylenol. Brands like Cracker Barrel and American Eagle have also recently dealt with marketing controversies that, according to PeakMetrics data Marketing Brew previously reported, may have been amplified and intensified by bot networks.

“There are a lot of bots out there operating on [X] and they’re gonna jump on whatever the thing that’s getting algorithmically boosted, the thing that’s the most emotionally charged,” Dwyer said. “In this case, that was the unfavorable stuff. I don’t think it means that there’s an anti-Tylenol bot network lying in wait. This is sort of the way that the internet functions now. Something like this happens, and a bunch of bots will just go boost it.”

Prior to purchasing the platform in 2022, Elon Musk promised to eradicate the bots, although he has yet to deliver on that promise.