[rany_]

This is exactly why the whole "vaccine causes autism" got started. We need to improve science literacy before we could say things like that to the general public.

When a layperson hears this, they'll think that there's a small but possible chance that vaccines do cause autism; when what the scientist means to say is that "it's highly unlikely that vaccines cause autism."

[taurath]

I think it’s okay to mean what you say. Part of improving literacy is also respecting the intelligence of your audience and not talking down to them. Treating everyone like buffoons makes people act like them - treating them as beings capable of thought and reason tends to show the better side.

[dxuh]

I find this argument hard to agree with. We are seeing unprecedented levels of buffoonery in many governments of the world and people enthusiastically agreeing with (objectively) idiots. Before anyone that does not know how to understand a statement as we are talking about, they will understand it the wrong way, tell everyone they know, create social media content and form organizations that oppose vaccines. I would say that this is more likely to happen many times over than them actually learning how to understand a statement like OPs properly. So as sad as it is, I think you are wrong.

[Althuns]

I can understand that this approach seems like the easy quick solution, but the problem is much deeper than that. It's more about a weaponization of language by those who know what they're doing. Getting into a language fight isn't worthless, but doesn't actually resolve the issue, just escalates it.

What's more important IMHO, is raising the general understanding of how this science works and not falling into the trap of feeling like we have to debate this buffoonery on the same level. We're so worried about being called "elites" or whatever that we fight on their terms instead of just straight up calling it out as stupid and manipulative and giving it no more time than that.

[tim333]

I'd say being realistic about the intelligence of your audience. "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people".

I got sent some looping tik tok anti vax thing with a pretty woman saying sincerely vax bad, with no sources and links. The people influenced by that are not going to look up the papers in Nature.

[sshine]

So what you're saying is vaccines might cause autism?

;-)

[pllbnk]

It's not the reason why this conspiracy got started. It got started by a fraudulent pseudoscientific paper with financial ties to it. We shouldn't be reducing human intelligence and ability to process information to the "wet streets cause rain" level. I know it's easier said than done though. When a scientist claims that "highly unlikely that vaccines cause autism", it still leaves the same room for doubt as when they say "it is very likely that vaccines do not cause autism".

The real issue isn't scientific caution. It's that the misinformation campaigns exploit any uncertainty, no matter how small. The solution isn't dumbing down science communication, but being clear about what the evidence actually shows.