Published by Dr Kerry McInerney and Dr Eleanor Drage
Technology
Join Dr Eleanor Drage and Dr Kerry McInerney as they ask the experts: what is good technology? Is ‘good’ technology even possible? And how can feminism help us work towards it? Each week, they invite scholars, industry practitioners, activists, and more to provide their unique perspective on what feminism can bring to the tech industry and the way that we think about technology. With each conversation, The Good Robot asks how feminism can provide new perspectives on technology’s biggest problems.
What happens when we treat hearing as an economic duty, and global tech corporations turn assistive devices into a lifetime commitment? In this episode of The Good Robot, Eleanor Drage sits down with medical anthropologist Michele Friedner (University of Chicago) to discuss her groundbreaking book, Sensory Futures: Deafness and Cochlear Implant Infrastructures in India. Together, they dismantle the normative project of "normalization" and expose the immense, hidden labor required to keep assistive technologies up and running. From the strict boundaries placed on mothers in auditory-verbal therapy sessions to the global shadow economies keeping obsolete devices "on-air," Friedner shares a deeply personal and poignant look at what happens when tech forces a narrowing of the human experience. Ultimately, she points us toward a more beautiful alternative: "fugitive sensing", where multi-sensory care, touch, and love actively resist an ableist failure of the imagination. Reading List: Valuing Deaf Worlds in Urban India Deaf and Incarcerated in the U.S. The Obsolescence Issue Feminist, Queer, Crip Activist Affordances: How Disabled People Improvise More Habitable Worlds Edited by: Meibel Dabodabo
The Rise, Fall, and Rise of TikTok with Crystal Abidin
Most companies unwittingly undermine their biggest growth opportunities by ignoring the complex morality of social media—where good technology depends on who controls it, and who benefits. Hosted by Eleanor Drage, this episode features Crystal Abidin, Professor of Internet Studies at Curtin University, who exposes the hidden power plays behind platforms like TikTok, revealing how what’s 'good' or 'bad' technology is often a matter of perspective—and power. This eye-opening episode, Eleanor and Crystal explore how social media’s ambivalence shapes youth cultures and influence—covering TikTok’s surprising origins, from climate activism to viral animals, and how state bans and geopolitical tensions transform global online communities. Crystal breaks down how content creators, from neurodivergent communities to cultural niche groups, leverage memes, humor, and subcultural capitals to forge solidarity and push back against systemic inequities. Reading List: https://wishcrys.com/ TikTok Cultures Research Network Her work: Abidin, Crystal. 2026. TikTok and Youth Cultures . Emerald Publishing. Abidin, Crystal. 2026. Child Influencers: How Children Become Entangled with Social Media Fame . Polity Press. Abidin, Crystal, and Natalie Pang (eds). 2025. Internet Popular Culture and (Everyday) Politics: Methodological & Ethical Critiques from Southeast Asia . Routledge. Gurrieri, Lauren, Jenna Drenten, and Crystal Abidin (eds). 2025. Influencer Marketing: Interdisciplinary and Socio-Cultural Perspectives . Routledge. Tiidenberg, Katrin, Natalie Ann Hendry, and Crystal Abidin. 2021. tumblr . Polity Press. Warfield, Katie, Crystal Abidin, and Carolina Cambre (eds). 2020. Mediated Interfaces: The Body on Social Media . Bloomsbury Academic. Leaver, Tama, Tim Highfield, and Crystal Abidin. 2020. Instagram: Visual Social Media Cultures . Polity Press. Abidin, Crystal, and Megan Lindsay Brown (eds). 2018. Microcelebrity Around the Globe: Approaches to cultures of internet fame . Emerald Publishing. Abidin, Crystal. 2018. Internet Celebrity: Understanding Fame Online _. _Emerald Publishing.
Community technology is the future with Dave Griffiths
In this episode of The Good Robot, Eleanor Drage sits down with David Griffiths, founding director of the nonprofit Then Try This. Inspired by a childhood spent coding pixels next to his mother’s traditional floor loom, Dave unpacks the deep historical links between textiles and programming, arguing that technology is never neutral and that true innovation relies on grassroots, participatory design. They explore brilliant local projects like Sonic Kayaks, which use underwater soundscapes to map marine data for visually impaired paddlers, and Nergal, an accessible game tracking public health trends using specialized audio cues. Finally, they reveal the hidden, feminist histories of computing, showing how modern microchips directly owe their legacy to the complex creativity of Navajo weavers. Tune in to discover why the future of tech belongs to frugal, community-led innovations rather than just the next iteration of GPT. Reading List: Then Try This Indigenous Circuits: Navajo Women and the Racialization of Early Electronic Manufacture Queer In AI: A Case Study in Community-Led Participatory AI Sensing Bodies: Engaging Postcolonial Histories through More-than-Human Interactions Edited by: Meibel Dabodabo
The Battle Over Data Centers with Tara Merk
Join host Eleanor Drage and guest Tara Merk as they explore how community-owned data centers can revolutionize digital ownership. Discover innovative models that challenge big tech's dominance, promoting sustainability and local empowerment. Learn from Germany's success in renewable energy and cooperative governance. This episode reimagines internet ownership, focusing on community needs for a fairer, greener future. Reading list: Tara Merk’s LinkedIn Community Data Centers The making of critical data center studies Data infrastructure studies on an unequal planet Getting into fights with data centers: Or, a modest proposal for reframing the climate politics of ICT Data Center Opposition Report Edited by: Meibel Dabodabo
The Future of Data Centers and Digital Sovereignty with Friederike von Franque
Can cloud infrastructure be owned and governed by the people, and not just Big Tech? Friederike von Franqué, policy advisor at Wikimedia Germany, reveals how feminist principles and decentralized infrastructure are transforming the internet from a corporate service into a public commons. In this episode, we explore Friederike’s work with Wikimedia Germany. From the energy-intensive data centers of Frankfurt to Stockholm’s municipally owned fibre infrastructure, we examine the struggle to build technology that prioritizes the common good over corporate profit. Friederike explains why hyperscalers are not always the solution, and why we need environmental accountability and community-driven design. This conversation pulls back the curtain on the hidden data systems powering our lives, offering a provocative roadmap for a more equitable and sustainable digital future. Reading List: Friederike von Franque website "Enough of the Billionaires and Their Big Tech. 'Frugal Tech' Will Build Us All a Better World": An article by Eleanor Drage. Wikimedia Foundation / Wikimedia Germany “ Wikipedia Is Running On Its Own Metal: The Power and Limits of Self-Hosted Infrastructure ”by Wikimedia Europe Data centres are reshaping the global investment landscape by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Edited by: Meibel Dabodabo
The Revolutionary Microscopes Powering Global Tech Equality with Richard Bowman
Why do we often overlook the transformative power of open licensing in technology? Richard Bowman, a researcher and advocate for open source innovation, reveals how open licensing and frugal tech principles are not just ideas but powerful tools for global change. In this episode, we delve into Richard's journey from developing innovative microscopy to championing open source scientific hardware that challenges traditional tech ownership and promotes accessibility. Discover how these principles are reshaping global health and education, inspiring new ways to think about technology's role in society. Richard dismantles the myth that technology is neutral, illustrating how it can be a force for justice and empowerment. From creating locally repairable microscopes to developing community-driven scientific tools, this conversation uncovers the potential of open technology in crafting a more equitable and sustainable world. Reading list: Richard Bowman’s GitHub https://github.com/rwb27 OpenFlexure Official Website https://openflexure.org/ The Humanitarian Technology Trust https://httrust.org/ We need to break science out of its ivory tower – here’s one way to do this by Jenny Molloy https://theconversation.com/we-need-to-break-science-out-of-its-ivory-tower-heres-one-way-to-do-this-76354 The Open Source Hardware Movement by Andre Maia Chagas https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000014 Making hardware open source can help us fight future pandemics by Richard Bowman and Julian Stirling https://theconversation.com/making-hardware-open-source-can-help-us-fight-future-pandemics-heres-how-we-get-there-153280 Microscopy for everyone: how the OpenFlexure microscope is changing global healthcare https://www.theiet.org/membership/member-news/member-news-july-august-2025-issue/microscopy-for-everyone-how-the-openflexure-microscope-is-changing-global-healthcare OpenFlexure in MagPi Magazine (Issue 158, p. 112) https://magazine.raspberrypi.com/issues/158 Sharing of hardware is a missing link in the open science puzzle via SPARC https://sparcopen.org/impact-story/often-overlooked-sharing-of-hardware-is-a-missing-link-in-open-science-puzzle/ Open Science Hardware Policy by Julieta Arancio https://osh-policy.org/ Edited by: Meibel Dabodabo
Designers: Let's Create Abolitionist and Black Liberatory Futures! with Terresa Hardaway
Why do we often miss the profound impact of design in social justice? Terresa Hardaway, a graphic design professor and social justice advocate, uncovers how racialized and abolitionist design principles are not just concepts but powerful tools for societal change. In this episode, we explore Terresa's journey into the world of design that challenges systemic racism and promotes equity. Learn how these principles are reshaping community activism and inspiring new ways to think about design's role in society. Terresa dismantles the myth that design is neutral, illustrating how it can be a force for liberation and empowerment. From the creation of protest fonts to the development of community-centered spaces, this conversation reveals the transformative potential of design in crafting a more just and inclusive world. Reading List: https://terresahardaway.com/ https://design.umn.edu/directory/terresa-hardaway ‘Stop Killing Black People’: How a Minneapolis designer branded a movement Blackbird Revolt Black Garnet Books Racism Untaught: Revealing and Unlearning Racialized Design by Lisa E. Mercer and Terresa Hardaway Stop Killing Black People Font Edited by: Meibel Dabodabo
Discovering the Universe through Knitting with Elisabetta Matsumoto
Why do we overlook the power of traditional crafts in modern innovation? Elisabetta Matsumoto, a physicist and textile expert, reveals how knitting and smocking are not just crafts but catalysts for groundbreaking advancements. In this episode, we delve into Elisabetta's exploration of textile techniques that are transforming sustainable fashion and medical technology. Discover how these crafts are revolutionizing pelvic surgeries and inspiring flexible programming languages. Elisabetta challenges the notion that high-tech must be costly, showing how ancient practices can lead to democratized tech solutions. From the intricacies of textile geometry to the broader implications for inclusivity and sustainability, this conversation uncovers the hidden potential of crafts in shaping a more equitable future. Reading list: How one physicist is unraveling the mathematics of knitting Elisabetta A. Matsumoto's work Edited by: Meibel Dabodabo
Bonus Episode: The Internet's First Influencer, Tila Tequila, with Lisa Nakamura
In this part 2 episode, Eleanor continues her conversation with Lisa Nakamura about her latest book, The Inattention Economy. They delve deeper into the digital labor of women of color, the rise of influencers like Tila Tequila, and the pressing issues of online toxicity, exploitation, and reparations. Discover how historical and cultural shifts have shaped modern fame and the importance of reparations in the digital age. Edited by: Meibel Dabodabo
The Inattention Economy: Race, Gender, and Technology with Lisa Nakamura
In this episode, we talk to Lisa Nakamura, Professor at the University of Michigan and author of The Inattention Economy: Seeing the Digital Labour of Women of Colour. Lisa reflects on how race, gender, and power shape the histories of digital technology, focusing on the often overlooked labour that has made computing possible. She discusses the work of Navajo women in semiconductor manufacturing, the role of Japanese Americans in early tech production, and why attention, care, and recognition matter for understanding digital culture today.
Race and Orientalism in E-Gaming with Tara Fickle
In this episode, Tara Fickle, an associate professor of Asian American studies, delves into the intersection of race and gaming, introducing the concept of ludo-orientalism. She explores how racial stereotypes shape perceptions of Asian gamers and discusses the role of gender in e-sport culture. Edited by: Meibel Dabodabo
The Role of Designers in AI Ethics with Tomasz Hollanek
In this episode, Tomasz Hollanek argues that design is central to AI ethics. We discuss what role designers should play in AI ethics, the significance of AI literacy, and the responsibility of journalists in reporting on AI technologies. Edited by: Meibel Dabodabo
What Makes a Drone “Good”? with Beryl Pong
In this episode, we talk to Beryl Pong, UKRI Future Leaders Fellow at the University of Cambridge, where she leads the Centre for Drones and Culture. Beryl reflects on what it means to think about drones as “good” or “ethical” technologies and how it can be assessed through its socio-political context. Beryl examines the dual nature of drones, looking at both their humanitarian uses and the ethical implications of their deployment in civilian life. The discussion also touches on the aesthetics of drones and their representation in popular culture, concluding with a reflection on drone light shows as a new form of cultural expression.
The Vulnerabilities of Drone Warfare with Amy Gaeta
In this episode, Amy Gaeta, a researcher at the Centre for Drones and Culture and the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, discusses the how drones both uphold and subvert traditional masculine norms and the implications of their use in various contexts, from hobbyist communities to pornography. The conversation explores the complexities of gender dynamics in technology and the potential for systemic change in societal perceptions. Edited by: Meibel Dabodabo
AI Needs Fat Liberation! with Aisha Sobey
In this episode, Aisha Sobey, a research fellow at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, explores how anti-fat bias shapes our digital lives. She discusses its effects on health technologies, social media, and generative AI, and explains why anti-fatness must be seen as a systemic issue. The conversation also highlights how ideas from fat liberation can help create more inclusive and fair technological design.
Can Programming Languages be Feminist? with Felienne Hermans
In this episode, Felienne Hermans, a professor of computer science education, discusses the intersection of feminism and programming. She shares her experiences in designing programming languages, particularly Hedy, which supports 70 languages, including Arabic. The conversation explores the challenges of linguistic diversity in programming and the need for systemic change in the tech community.
Rethinking 'Creepy' Technology with Nassim Parvin and Neda Atanasoski
In this episode we talk to Nassim Parvin and Neda Atanasoski, the editors of the book Technocreep. We discuss what makes a technology creepy and the rise of so-called creepy technologies during COVID-19. Neda and Nassim argue that creepiness is associated with surveillance and that privacy is posited as the solution to so-called creepy tech. However, they highlight the way that race and gender have shaped who has the right to privacy and argue that we need to go beyond the privacy/surveillance binary when thinking about creep. Their volume explores instead how feminists are reclaiming the idea of creep, from how the slow growth of creep or creepiness challenges the tech industry's emphasis on radical innovation, to how the idea of creep is used to police what's considered normal or desirable.
Symbiosis From Bacteria to AI with N. Katherine Hayles
In this episode, we talk to N. Katherine Hayles who's the distinguished research professor at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the James B. Duke Professor Emerita from Duke University. Her prolific research focuses on the relationship between science, literature and technology in the 20th and 21st centuries. We explore her newest book, Bacteria to AI: Human Futures with Our Nonhuman Symbionts, and discuss how the biological concept of symbiosis can inform the relationships we have with AI; how a neural network experiences the world; and whether ChatGPT can be conscious.
Transhumanist Fantasies with Alexander Thomas
In this episode, Eleanor talks to Alexander Thomas, a filmmaker and academic who leads the BA in Media Production at the University of East London. They discuss his new book about transhumanism, a philosophical movement that aims to improve human capabilities through technology and whose followers includes Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Larry Page, and also apparently the DJ Steve Aoki. Alex is himself one of the foremost commentators on transhumanism. He explores transhumanist fantasies about the future of the human, is obsessed with the extremes of possibility: they either think that AI will bring us radical abundance or total extinction. Transhumanism, Alexander says in this episode, reduces life down to information processing and intelligence, which amounts to a kind of IQ fetishism.
Data Bodies and Arab Futurisms with Laila Shereen Sakr
In this episode, we talk to digital media theorist and artist Laila Shereen Sakr, who also performs under the name VJ Um Amel. We discuss her work making data about the outer world both visible and emotional. We explore what Laila calls the "surveyed and targeted Arab data body" and the incredible work she does creating Arab futuristic video games that both represent Arab cultures and project them into the future. We hope you enjoy the show.
