The Digital Period
The Digital Period is an open conversation about the technologies that shape how we live, love, and connect. Philosopher Judith Zoë Blijden speaks with users, developers, and researchers to unpack what is really at stake in our digital lives. Season 1 focuses on period apps and autonomy, Season 2 explores dating apps and vulnerability, and Season 3 examines social media and social togetherness with prof. Gianclaudio Malgieri.
Afleveringen
S1 E0 | Why I want to talk about period apps | Period Apps
The Digital Period is a podcast series that examines the relationship between autonomy and technology by taking a closer look at period apps.
In this short introduction, I discuss how I, Judith Zoë, embarked on this adventure in the first place and why I want to talk about period tracking apps. Period apps are one of the most downloaded health apps across the world, and they play an incredible in
S1 E1 | Humans and Period tracking | Period Apps
In this episode Judith talks to her best friend Iris van Wurmond, Mana Sadeghipour, a public policy professional, and Rayén Mitrovich co-founder of radical data about how and why they track their periods.
Together they discuss why tracking one’s period is important to some people and all the different ways this can be done. We also discuss the role of women in health care, the impact of the so-cal
S1 E2 | Period apps and society | Period Apps
In this episode Judith Zoë talks to Chiara Nowak, a visual artist, and Anastasia Siapka and Elisabetta Biasin from the KU Leuven University.
To understand the effect of marketing and narratives behind period apps, I spoke to Chiara Nowak, a graphic designer and visual artist working on the project ‘not.a.period’ and got the chance to visit the site of her art installation while we dissected the t
S1 E3 | Values and technology | Period Apps
In this episode, we dive into the principles and practicalities behind period tracking and how we can better equip ourselves to protect our data.
I talk to Iris Muis from the Data School of the University of Utrecht about how developers can translate values into technology. She points to practical resources that can help make sure our technology is aligned with what we find important.
During my
S1 E4 | Autonomy and Privacy | Period Apps
In this episode, we got philosophical as I spoke to Marjolein Lanzing, Naomi Jacobs, and Jenneke Evers - all philosophers who have done research on period apps and self-tracking technologies. I also talked to Anuj Puri, a postdoctoral researcher at Tilburg University, about what autonomy means for privacy.
Together, we attempt to dissect what autonomy is and how it relates to us in the digital
S1 E5 | Feminist Futures | Period Apps
In episode 5, I take time to look to the future. How can we move forward?
How can we build a feminist future with technology that fits our values? And what does that mean for period apps?
To answer these questions, I spoke to Marie Kochsiek, co-founder and developer of the period app Drip and Elisa Lindinger, one of the founders of Superrr Lab, a feminist organization and advocacy hub focused on
S1 E6 | The Localization of Technology | Period Apps
This bonus episode of The Digital Period Podcast is about localizing technology to local needs. It touches on the importance of embedding period app technology within societies or different geographic regions.
I spoke to Risper Onyango, who pointed me towards a period app called Oky, developed by UNICEF. I also got the chance to approach Niken Lasarati, the international project manager of Oky as
Intermezzo - Cool Announcements: A new episode, a new season and an exhibition! ft. PrivacySalon
The Digital Period is a podcast series that examines the relationship between autonomy and technology by taking a closer look at period apps.
This is an intermezzo episode with three cool announcements ft. the PrivacySalon. In January Ill publish the last episode of this season, there is a new season coming up and the Privacy Salon created an exhibition inspired by the upcoming season of this pod
S1 E7 | Epilogue - a plea for humility | Period Apps
The Digital Period is a podcast series that examines the relationship between autonomy and technology by taking a closer look at period apps.
In this epilogue episode, the last episode of the first season, Judith Zoë shares five insights she has gained by conducting this project.
You can find the transcripts and more episode of The Digital Period on this platform or on www.thedigitalperiod.com/p
Trailer The Digital Period
The Digital Period is the podcast where we examine our relationship with technology.
In this podcast Judith Zoë talk to users, developers and academics about how technology shapes how we relate to ourselves, each other and the tech we keep using.
Each season centers a fundamental question.
Can menstruation apps improve our autonomy? Can you be vulnerable on a dating app? Is social media actually
S2 E1 | Why I want to talk about dating apps | Dating Apps
This is the first episode of Season 2 of the Digital Period. This season is about dating apps. In this first episode Judith Zoë explores what happens when vulnerability meets algorithms. She shares her personal experience using dating apps and introduces the central theme of Season 2: vulnerability, not just as a risk, but as a potential source of connection in digital spaces.
S2 E2 | What are dating apps? With dr. Jessica Pidoux | Dating Apps
In the second episode of this season Judith Zoë interviews dr. Jessica Pidoux, a post-doc researcher at the University of Neuchâtel in Switzerland and director of the Swiss NGO personal data. We met on valentines day during the symposium Feelings Inc. organised by Privacy Salon without any preparation. Judith also speaks with a woman who shares her personal experience using dating apps. She explai
S2 E3 | Vulnerability and data protection with dr. Gianclaudio Malgieri | Dating Apps
In the third episode of this season, Judith Zoë speaks with dr. Gianclaudio Malgieri, associate professor of law and technology at Leiden University and co-director of the Brussels Privacy Hub. Gianclaudio is one of the leading thinkers on data protection and vulnerability. We talk about power, intersectionality and how dating app design could contribute to empathy and affinity. The episode also
S2 E4 | Protecting data while dating with Lisa Steinfeld | Dating Apps
What really happens to our data when we use dating apps?
In this episode, Judith Zoë speaks with Lisa Steinfeld, a data protection lawyer at NOYB, the European Center for Digital Rights. They discuss how companies like Grindr and Bumble process intimate user data, and what it means for our privacy and autonomy.
Lisa explains the legal cases NOYB has filed including the successful complaint against
S2 E5 | Swiping bias: algorithms and discrimination with Carlota Memba Aguado | Dating Apps
In this episode, Judith Zoë speaks with Carlota Memba Aguado, a researcher from the Free University Amsterdam about how dating apps reflect and reinforce structural inequalities and what responsibilities companies have to acknowledge and reduce bias in design.
S2 E6 | Ethical Engineering with Thomas Crul of dating app Breeze | Dating Apps
In this episode, Judith Zoë talks to Thomas Crul, lead matchmaking engineer at Breeze. Breeze is an innovative dating app that understands innovation is not just technical, but also about your business model, design, and communication.
After discovering that their algorithm might be disadvantaging certain groups, the team at Breeze decided to take responsibility. Instead of ignoring the issue, the
S2 E7 | UX design and queer experiences with Lindsay Ferris | Dating Apps
In this episode, Judith Zoë talks to Lindsay Ferris, assistant professor and former UX researcher at OK Cupid, about the design of dating apps and how they influence and affect queer people. Lindsay's academic insights are beautifully illustrated by the dater of the episode, who explains how dating apps became a place of romantic and sexual liberation.
S2 Ep.8 | Algorithmic Love | Dating Apps
In the last episode of this season, Judith Zoë shares what she has learned about vulnerability, dating apps and algorithmic love.
The episode explores how vulnerbaility is related to connection and how this relation is shaped and sometimes distorted by technology.
What happens when algorithms mediate intimacy? Can love be optimized? And what does real love ask of us today?
S3 E1 | Why we want to talk about Social Media | Social media
This season we return to discuss whether social media platforms are actually social. In the first episode of this season Judith Zoë introduces her new co-host prof. dr. Gianclaudio Malgieri and the wider collaboration behind this project. Together they discuss why it is important to discuss social media now.
S3 E2 | Beyond the ban: digital resilience and youth
In this episode, we would like to take this conversation beyond the ban and ask a more fundamental question: What do kids and young people need to flourish on social media?
In this episode Judith Zoë Blijden and Gianclaudio Malgieri talk to professor Esther Rozendaal (Erasmus University) and Lore Sleeckx and Reinout Vermaercke (Flemish Youth Council).
S3 E3 | Platform politics with Kim van Sparrentak | Social Media
Gianclaudio and Judith talk to Kim van Sparrentak. Kim van Sparrentak is a member of the European Parliament. She has urged for new legislation for a better internet. This legislation might be just around the corner.
We discuss what it means when we say technology is political, and what Kim thinks needs to happen to make social media actually social.
We recorded this conversation in April 2026
S3 E4 | The limits of personal resilience | Social Media
This episode is about resilience and social media.
We discuss what individuals can do and are already doing, to ensure their social media use aligns with what they actually want. And about the wider context in which this behavior takes place. How are laws shaping the platforms we use every day and restricting or creating the options available to us?
We are joined by Maria-Lucia Rebrean and th
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