My research examines how experts build credibility online and how audiences navigate trust in human and AI sources. Physicians gain trust by humanizing their content, while TikTok therapists succeed through relatability over credentials. Students selectively trust AI depending on task type. Ultimately, online trust hinges more on authenticity than expertise.

This research supports disabled authors writing children’s fiction by examining how to balance authenticity, responsibility, and wellbeing. Through writing a novel with disabled protagonists and interviewing other writers, the project develops techniques to help disabled authors navigate representation, protect their privacy, and promote accurate, empowering portrayals of disability.