The Battle Over Data Centers with Tara Merk

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 IndiaDeaf and Incarcerated in the U.S.The Obsolescence IssueFeminist, Queer, CripActivist Affordances: How Disabled People Improvise More Habitable WorldsEdited by: Meibel Dabodabo

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 NetworkHer 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.

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 ThisIndigenous Circuits: Navajo Women and the Racialization of Early Electronic ManufactureQueer In AI: A Case Study in Community-Led Participatory AI Sensing Bodies: Engaging Postcolonial Histories through More-than-Human InteractionsEdited by: Meibel Dabodabo

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 LinkedInCommunity 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 ICTData Center Opposition Report Edited by: Meibel Dabodabo

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

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/rwb27OpenFlexure 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-76354The Open Source Hardware Movement by Andre Maia Chagas https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000014Making 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-153280Microscopy 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-healthcareOpenFlexure in MagPi Magazine (Issue 158, p. 112) https://magazine.raspberrypi.com/issues/158Sharing 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

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 movementBlackbird RevoltBlack Garnet BooksRacism Untaught: Revealing and Unlearning Racialized Design by Lisa E. Mercer and Terresa HardawayStop Killing Black People FontEdited by: Meibel Dabodabo

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 knittingElisabetta A. Matsumoto's workEdited by: Meibel Dabodabo

Why do we call it "Artificial Intelligence"? It wasn't the only name on the table in 1956, but it’s the one that stuck, and according to Dr. Stephen Cave, that’s because it tapped into 3,000 years of deep-seated mythology.In this episode, Kerry McInerney sits down with Dr. Stephen Cave to discuss his new book (co-authored with Dr. Kanta Dihal) on the origin myths of AI. They dive into the "value-laden" history of technology, exploring how the binary of the artificial vs. the natural was used to justify colonial conquest, and how the very concept of intelligence was forged by card-carrying eugenicists to structure society into hierarchies of "fitness". From the labs of Silicon Valley to the history of SATs (Standard Assessment Tests), Dr. Cave illustrates how these old stories continue to shape who gets to build our future and whose voices are sidelined.Edited by Meibel Dabodabo

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