In an academic journal article, noted geographer Michael Goodchild argues that user-generated content can profoundly impact Geographic Information Systems.
"...'Volunteered geographic information' has the potential to be a significant source of geographers' understanding of the surface of the Earth. Its most interesting, lasting and compelling value to geographers lies in what it can tell them about local activities in various geographic locations that go unnoticed by the world's media," Goodchild says.
From the conclusion of his paper:
"The world of VGI [volunteered geographic information] is chaotic, with little in the way of formal structures. Information is constantly being created and cross-referenced, and flows in all directions, since producers and consumers are no longer distinguishable. Timescales are enormously compressed, and a site such as Wikimapia can go from zero to millions of entries in a matter of months.
What is perhaps most surprising about the world of VGI is the fact that tens of thousands of citizens are willing to spend large amounts of time contributing, without any hope of financial reward, and often without any assurance that anyone will ever make use of their contributions. The same kind of motivation drives the world of blogs, and is one of the most interesting of the many new kinds of social behavior that have emerged with the rise of the Internet.
Like any large-scale activity, VGI is having its own effects on geospatial standards. KML, the language of the Google Earth API, is now the subject of an agreement with the Open Geospatial Consortium, which hopes to adopt it as a standard for communication with virtual globes."
FULL STORY: Mapmaking For The Masses: User-generated Content Can Profoundly Impact Geographic Information Systems
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie