If we program a non-speaking person’s AAC device to only say "Please," "Thank you," and "I need the bathroom," we are raising a robot, not a human.

Have you witnessed Vicious AAC? Share your stories in the comments—anonymously, of course. 👇

And frankly? In a world that constantly infantilizes disabled people, a little viciousness is exactly the right amount of rebellion.

Here is the hard truth:

Allistic (non-autistic) children learn to be vicious at age three. They yell "I hate you!" and slam doors. They call their sibling a "poopy head." They learn that words have power—to hurt, to reject, to get a reaction.

When you see a video online of a kid using their talker to call their mom a "cucumber head," don't scold. Celebrate. That child just discovered that communication is powerful .

We celebrate the "first words." The "I love you." The request for a favorite snack.

It is written in a long-form, newsletter/essay style suitable for platforms like Medium, Substack, or LinkedIn. The Double-Edged Screen: When Augmentative and Alternative Communication Goes "Vicious"