Amy Gaeta
Papers
1
Total Citations
6
H-Index
1
About
Amy Gaeta’s research lies at the critical intersection of human-computer interaction (HCI), disability studies, and digital surveillance. Her most-cited work, “Diagnostic advertisements: The phantom disabilities created by social media surveillance” (2023), is a landmark theoretical essay that exposes how social media platforms and HCI discourses dehumanize autistic individuals by framing them as machine-like. Gaeta argues that this algorithmic surveillance creates “phantom disabilities”—socially constructed impairments that serve corporate and diagnostic interests rather than reflecting lived experiences. By drawing together critical disability theory and platform studies, she reveals how targeted advertisements and data profiling pathologize neurodivergent behaviors, turning identity into a commodity. Though early in her career, Gaeta’s work has already garnered significant attention (6 citations for a recent theoretical piece) and is shaping conversations about ethics in AI design. Her scholarship challenges technologists to move beyond deficit models of autism and instead design systems that honor neurodiversity. Gaeta’s contributions are vital for students and researchers seeking to understand how digital infrastructures can either liberate or harm marginalized communities.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1