B04 Faithful in the Feed: Navigating Social Media, AI, and Digital Life

Social media and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence are reshaping how people form opinions, relate to one another, and experience community. While these tools can connect us and spread hope, they are also built around algorithms that amplify outrage, misinformation, addictive scrolling, and growing amounts of low-quality AI-generated content (“AI slop”). Many people—across all age groups—feel overwhelmed by their feeds but aren’t sure how to reset, disconnect, rebalance, or help others do the same. Most of us simply haven’t had the time or space to reflect on what it means to live faithfully inside our feeds.
 
This workshop begins with a brief grounding in Episcopal theology and the Baptismal Covenant as they relate to our digital lives—particularly our call to seek truth, respect the dignity of every human being, and build up community. From there, the session quickly shifts toward practical, real-world tools participants can use in their own lives and ministries.
 
Participants will explore how social media algorithms shape what we see and how they can draw us into spirals of negative or distorted information. We will also touch on the emerging challenges of AI-generated content and how it affects trust, truth, and discernment online.
 
Importantly, the workshop is designed not only for personal growth but also for ministry leadership. Participants will leave with ideas and frameworks they can bring back to their parishes, regions, and dioceses—whether through adult forums, youth conversations, clergy discussions, or digital ministry guidelines.
 
Accessible to people of all ages and levels of technological comfort, this session equips participants with both theological grounding and practical tools to navigate today’s digital environment faithfully—and help others in their communities do the same.
 
Youth-Friendly Workshop:
This session is appropriate for middle and high school participants attending the Provincial Youth Event. Because young people are often navigating social media and algorithm-driven platforms most intensely, their perspective is especially valuable in this conversation.
 
Presenters
Bexs Nelson, Director of Communications, Dioceses of Wisconsin
Sam Cripps, Diocese of Wisconsin