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David Ryan Polgar

Contributing Writer

David is an ambidextrous thinker who likes big ideas. As a “Tech Ethicist,” he explores our evolving relationship with social media and tech from an ethical, legal, and emotional perspective. Utilizing his background as an attorney, educator, and pop culture aficionado, David offers a fresh perspective on potential trends and ways to humanize our digital lives. He is currently a speaker (3-time TEDx), branding and communications consultant, and Trust & Safety for social messaging platform Friendbase. David is researching the impact that “scaling intimacy” has on human relationships, and working on an upcoming book. He is also the co-host for Funny as Tech.

He can be contacted at TechEthicist.com and @TechEthicist.


The 1971 cult classic Harold and Maude is an unlikely love story between a depressed 18-year-old Harold and a lively 79-year-old Maude who meet at a funeral. Given the rise is online dating and its impact on how couples unite, it is fair to ask: If Harold and Maude was set in 2017, would Harold pick Maude on Tinder? 
Should political preference be a deal-breaker when looking for love? There are now dating sites for progressives, Trump fans, and Americans looking to escape the Trump presidency by marrying a Canadian. In an age of deep political polarization, dating sites based on ideology may exacerbate the problem and prevent a star-crossed love from blossoming. 
The spreading of misinformation and doubt has undermined support for climate change. Despite broad consensus from climate scientists that humans are largely responsible for climate change, only 27% of Americans think there is agreement. New research points to a possible way to “vaccinate” against this misinformation. 
Many teens are showing up to school sleep-deprived from late night social media use, and it may be hurting their academic performance. Researchers find that “over a third of young people appear to be waking up during the night to send or check messages via social media.” 
Over 2 billion people worldwide eat insects, such as crickets. Crickets are easy to harvest, high in protein, and nutrient rich. In an age of growing environmental awareness about the significant resources needed for raising livestock, crickets would seemingly be the food of the future. Why aren’t they on your dinner plate?