Jason Thacker's Blog, page 18

Why we need a solid foundation for navigating the ethics of big tech

There isn’t much that Americans seem to agree on these days. Even as COVID-19 brought some national unity, we are beginning to see the fraying of American society once again. Political, social, economic, and religious issues have sorted us into tribes and tribes of tribes. It is difficult to keep up to date on the number of differing viewpoints and interest groups. But there is one concern that seems to bring the fraying parties and proported enemies together: the power and influence of technolo...

Should We Give Up Privacy to Fight Coronavirus?

Last fall, my wife was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and had just recently finished her chemotherapy treatments. Because her immune system has been severely weakened, the COVID-19 threat to her health is potentially lethal. We decided to isolate well before the stay-at-home directives from state and local governments. 

By now we’re all familiar with one of the key ethical dilemmas that’s arisen during the pandemic: Do we isolate from one another and risk a catastrophic economic downturn, ...

What a Google commercial teaches us about the purpose of technology

Search bars are a technological marvel. Through them, we can search the limits of the world. We can see the seven wonders or learn of breaking news as it is happening. We can find more information in seconds than most people in human history had access to in their lifetimes. But search bars also expose some of our most personal and intimate moments, as you search for how to overcome infertility or even cancer. During the Super Bowl, Google ran one of the most powerful ads about the use of techno...

An ethical case for wearing a mask during this pandemic

In January of this year, I took a business trip to New York to speak to a group of technologists and ethicists about artificial intelligence from a Christian perspective. While I despise the idea of wearing a mask because of how uncomfortable they are and how they fog up my glasses, I wore a mask throughout my time in the airports that day because my wife was, at the time, undergoing chemotherapy treatments. With New York City being a world hub for economics and business, I chose to deal with...

Thinking Biblically About Privacy in a World Ruled by AI

We live in a world of irony. We are willing to post some of the most intimate details and events of our lives online. We gladly sign up for freemium services, like social media and email, that require us to consent to various forms of data tracking in exchange for a free premium service.  

We love how our devices just know us, as AI [artificial intelligence] empowers them to learn our habits and predict what we will want to see, taste, and even read. 

Yet we also feel uneasy and uncomforta...

Why companies are trying to normalize pornography

Recently, a tweet by Netflix that read something like What is something you can say during sex and while watching Netflix? went viral. I highly discourage you from checking the replies as nearly every major brand (as well as everyday people) degraded themselves for a fleeting joke. The whole exchange revealed how sexualized humor has become normal in our society. Even well-known companies like Wendys and Hulu responded to the initial tweet. But one reply in particular stuck out to me....

2 things to know about AI and the church

Probably one of the biggest questions I get when I talk about technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), is how to equip people in our churches to begin to think wisely about these innovations. 

Often when topics like AI, facial recognition, or privacy come up in conversation, many people react with glazed over eyes because these topics seem so far off and disconnected from our daily lives. They don’t believe these are pressing issues and haven’t given much thought to them at all. If...

(Fake) Sex in a Technological Age

Authors note: The topic and examples in this section are sexually explicit. I leave certain details vague and ask that you not search for these things online.

The worlds first sex robot debuted in fall 2018 to much fanfare. Many joined waiting lists to purchase this AI-equipped doll from Abyss Creations. The doll, named Harmony X, was one of the first AI-empowered sex dolls on the market.

Each doll has silicone bodies that are highly customizable with upgradable body parts and hyperrealistic...

Reading recommendations during the coronavirus shutdown

As COVID-19 (coronavirus) continues to spread through our communities, many families are spending extra time at home per the recommendation of most health professionals in order to slow down the spread of the virus as we seek to love our neighbors well. My family, in particular, has been under quarantine because of my wifes chemotherapy treatments and compromised immune system. Being cooped up for an extended time can be challenging, especially if you or a loved one are sick.  

In order to...

Why doomsurfing won’t satisfy our longing for peace

If we are honest with ourselves, the last few weeks (and likely many more to come) have been extremely difficult. Some of us have become sick or known loved ones who contracted COVID-19. Others have lost their jobs and livelihoods due to stay-at-home orders put in place to slow the spread of the virus. While many others have seen little day-to-day impact of the virus spread in their communities, they are still lost in the news and updates from the frontlines. Regardless of where you find yoursel...