The internet has turned “Dr.” into a branding tool for fake brands and TikTok shop, and the controversy surrounding Cheyenne Bryant is forcing people to ask an uncomfortable question: what does credibility actually mean anymore in education?
For weeks, social media has been dissecting Bryant’s claims about her doctorate after users on all the major platforms failed to locate public records of a dissertation or clear academic verification tied to her name. Bryant has responded by insisting she owes nobody proof, famously stating, “My obedience is to God, not to people.”
But the issue is bigger than internet gossip. I feel as if, in this era where “therapy language” dominates podcasts, the TikTok algorithm and even relationships, credentials matter. People are not just listening to motivational speeches from actual Dr’s or educated people anymore; they are taking emotional, psychological, and relational advice from online personalities, instead, as if it were clinical expertise.
That changes the stakes entirely, for me at least.
To be clear, having a doctorate does not automatically make someone the smartest person, ethical, or even effective at what they do. Plenty of educated people misuse their authority every day. At the same time, presenting yourself as “Dr.” while refusing to transparently address legitimate concerns creates a layer of distrust, especially in fields connected to mental health.
Bryant’s defenders argue that the internet has become obsessed with “receipts” and enjoys public takedowns more than someone’s word. There is some truth to that. Online culture loves humiliation for sure. Still, transparency is not a form of humiliation. If your title is central to your public platform, people will naturally expect clarity.
If I claimed to be a Dr. and sold vitamins on TikTok live and said that I have a PharmD but can never show proof of where or how I got that doctorate, people will start to doubt the validity of my words because I’m selling a product as if I’m an expert in this given field, backed by an accredited education.
Yet, to add to that, this situation also exposes how easily audiences confuse confidence with that same expertise I was talking about. Social media rewards certainty, looks, and aesthetics long before it rewards accountability.
So whether Bryant possesses the degree she claims or not, the backlash reflects a growing exhaustion with influencer culture dressing itself in professional authority without clear verification.
And honestly, that skepticism is justified to me. Let me know what you all think.
