Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has taken a swipe at conspiracy theorists in a social media post for her 18th birthday, jokingly saying her parents can "no longer control" her.
Thunberg, who turned 18 on Sunday, thanked people for sending her birthday wishes before hitting back at critics who claim her parents masterminded her rise to global fame.
"Thank you so much for all the well-wishes on my 18th birthday," she wrote in a tweet.
"Tonight you will find me down at the local pub exposing all the dark secrets behind the climate and school strike conspiracy and my evil handlers who can no longer control me! I am free at last!!"
With the tweet, she attached a selfie of her wearing a T-shirt saying "flat Mars society", an apparent sarcastic reference to the false conspiracy theory that the Earth is a disc surrounded by an ice wall.
One person called her post "brilliant", adding the conspiracy theories about Thunberg are "hilarious".
"I'm glad you can see the funny side of it all, rather than letting it stop you. Most of them are ableist because they think your autism stops you from being able to think for yourself, but they're obviously wrong."
In an interview to mark her 18th birthday, she told The Times she would rather borrow clothes from friends who don't wear a particular garment anymore rather than buy something new.
"The worst-case scenario I guess I'll buy second-hand, but I don't need new clothes. I know people who have clothes, so I would ask them if I could borrow them or if they have something they don't need anymore," she told the outlet.
She also revealed that while she's made many changes in her life to reduce her personal impact on the environment, she doesn't judge others who live differently from her - particularly celebrities who tout the climate emergency while flying around the world.
"I'm not telling anyone else what to do, but there is a risk when you are vocal about these things and don't practise as you preach, then you will become criticised for that and what you are saying won't be taken seriously."
