About FFTN
The Faith Family Technology Network emerged from a simple recognition: the builders of tomorrow's technologies, people of faith, and advocates for family wellbeing are not in dialogue–and so the technologies being built without these perspectives will disproportionately cause harm to communities of faith and the family.
The Story of FFTN
Origins
In early 2025, a coalition of scholars and policy leaders came together around “A Future for the Family”—an initiative to articulate concerns about technology's impact on families and faith communities. This work, led by Michael Toscano, Emma Waters, Clare Morell, Jon Askonas, and Brad Littlejohn, crystallized many of the questions that would become central to FFTN's mission.
Technology Leader Catalyst
A series of meetings with tech leaders Glen Weyl, Ben Olsen, and Jaron Lanier revealed both the depth of alignment possible between faith communities and thoughtful technologists, and the urgent need for ongoing dialogue. These conversations catalyzed the formation of FFTN as a sustained network.
Institutional Foundation
The FFTN is sponsored by the Institute for Family Studies, which brings their expertise in family wellbeing research and institutional standing for FFTN’s growing impact in the world.
Our Approach
Multi-Faith, Multi-Disciplinary
We also bridge disciplines, convening computer scientists alongside theologians, policy experts and ethicists.
Principled, Not Partisan
We believe technology policy should serve human flourishing, not political factions. Our network includes voices from across the political spectrum, united by shared concern for faith, family, and human dignity.
Practical and Engaged
We’re not merely theoretical. Our members testify before Congress, advise government agencies, publish in major outlets, and work directly with technology companies to shape product development with human wellbeing in mind.
Our Guiding Principles
Human Dignity First
Technology should serve people, not replace them. Every innovation should be evaluated by how it affects human flourishing, family bonds, and community vitality.
Faith-Informed Wisdom
Religious traditions offer thousands of years of wisdom about what it means to be human. These insights are essential—not optional—for navigating technological change.
Family as Foundation
Strong families are the bedrock of human flourishing. Technology policy must account for how innovations affect childhood development, parent-child bonds, and intergenerational wisdom.
Plurality Over Monoculture
We embrace diverse perspectives and resist one-size-fits-all solutions, recognizing that different communities have different needs and values worth preserving.
Institutional Partnership
The FFTN was founded as a project of the Institute for Family Studies, a leading research organization dedicated to strengthening families and civil society. IFS provides institutional support and research infrastructure for FFTN's convening and policy work.
How We Work
Weekly Convenings
Technology should serve people, not replace them. Every innovation should be evaluated by how it affects human flourishing, family bonds, and community vitality.
Shaping Innovation
We provide guidance directly to technologists on models, features, and capabilities to build in communitarian alignment from a faith and family perspective from development to deployment.
Public Engagement
Network members write for major publications, speak at conferences, brief policymakers, and engage religious communities through sermons, teaching, and pastoral guidance.
Collaborative Projects
From coalition letters to research initiatives to faith-tech events, we facilitate collaboration across our diverse network.
OUR MISSION
Activating experts across policy, academia, religion, and technology to anchor innovation in faith and the family.
OUR VISION