Web mapping: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:47, 4 December 2023

Revision as of 21:48, 4 December 2023

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== Introduction ==

The advent of web mapping can be regarded as a major new trend in cartography. Until recently, cartography was restricted to a few [[:Category:Map companies|companies]], institutes and [[:Category:National cartographic agencies|mapping agencies]], requiring relatively expensive and complex hardware and software as well as skilled cartographers and [[geomatics]] engineers.<ref name=":0">{{Citation |last=Neumann |first=Andreas |title=Web Mapping and Web Cartography |date=2008 |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-35973-1_1485 |workencyclopedia=Encyclopedia of GIS |pages=1261–1269 |editor-last=Shekhar |editor-first=Shashi |access-date=2023-12-04 |place=Boston, MA |publisher=Springer US |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-0-387-35973-1_1485 |isbn=978-0-387-35973-1 |editor2-last=Xiong |editor2-first=Hui}}</ref>

Web mapping has brought many geographical datasets, including free ones generated by [[OpenStreetMap]] and proprietary datasets owned by [[Here (company)|HERE]], [[Petal Maps|Huawei]], [[Google]], [[Tencent]], [[TomTom]], and others. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Web Mapping with Free Software Tools · Richard A. Lent, Ph.D. |url=https://richardlent.github.io/post/web-mapping/ |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=richardlent.github.io}}</ref> A range of [[:category:Free GIS software|free software to generate maps]] has also been conceived and implemented alongside proprietary tools like [[ArcGIS]]. As a result, the [[barrier to entry]] for serving maps on the web has been lowered. <ref name=":0" />

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Realtime maps show the situation of a phenomenon in close to [[Real-time computing|realtime]] (only a few seconds or minutes delay).<ref>{{Cite book|title=Painting the Web|last=Powers, Shelley.|date=2008|publisher=O'Reilly|isbn=9780596515096|oclc=191753336|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/paintingweb00shel}}</ref> They are usually animated. Data is collected by sensors and the maps are generated or updated at regular intervals or on demand.

[[Animated mapping|Animated maps]] show changes in the map over time by animating one of the graphical or temporal variables.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Web cartography : map design for interactive and mobile devices|last=Muehlenhaus, Ian, 1976-|isbn=9781439876220|oclc=706022809|date = 2013-12-10|publisher=CRC Press }}</ref> Technologies enabling client-side display of animated web maps include [[Scalable Vector Graphics|scalable vector graphics]] (SVG), Adobe Flash, Java, QuickTime, and others. Web maps with real-time animation include weather maps, [[traffic congestion map]]s and vehicle monitoring systems. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Temporal Animated Maps |url=https://geography.name/temporal-animated-maps/#:~:text=Static%20maps%20present%20all%20of,be%20used%20to%20display%20information. |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=geography.name}}</ref>

[[CartoDB]] launched an open source library, Torque,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/cartodb/torque|title=GitHub - CartoDB/torque: Temporal mapping for CartoDB|website=[[GitHub]]|date=2019-02-13}}</ref> which enables the creation of dynamic animated maps with millions of records. Twitter uses this technology to create maps to reflect how users reacted to news and events worldwide.

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As much as web mapping has helped simplify our lives, there are also negative social consequences to the use of web mapping. There have been concerns raised about the privacy of personal information while using web mapping. It allows government agencies to create massive databases on individuals and their behaviors while the private sector keeps records of personal information.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://www.nap.edu/catalog/12860 |title=Understanding the Changing Planet: Strategic Directions for the Geographical Sciences |date=2010-06-23 |publisher=National Academies Press |isbn=978-0-309-15075-0 |___location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref> This issue continues to be challenged and negotiated as web mapping has become more relevant. As the use of web mapping has increased, so has the amount of distractions while driving. <ref>{{Cite web |title=How does GIS web mapping affect you and your community? |url=https://www.linkedin.com/advice/1/how-does-gis-web-mapping-affect-you |access-date=2023-11-30 |website=www.linkedin.com |language=en}}</ref> Drivers can alter their focus away from the road to their device very easily, which could result in a multitude of  negative social consequences and safety concerns.

While there are many benefits to web mapping allowing anyone to access, create, and distribute maps, many have raised ethical concerns.<ref name="Peterson2">{{cite journal |last1=Peterson |first1=Michael P. |title=Maps on Stone: The Web and Ethics in Cartography |journal=Cartographic Perspectives |date=1999 |volume=34 |url=https://cartographicperspectives.org/index.php/journal/article/view/cp34-peterson/pdf |access-date=27 May 2023}}</ref><ref name="Mooney_Juhász_202007">{{cite journal |last1=Mooney |first1=Peter |last2=Juhász |first2=Levente |title=Mapping COVID-19: How web-based maps contribute to the infodemic |journal=Dialogues in Human Geography |date=July 2020 |volume=10 |issue=2 |pages=265–270 |doi=10.1177/2043820620934926 |s2cid=220415906 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The web facilitates the spread of misinformation, and people without strong understanding of cartography can publish seemingly authoritative products that may mislead the public.<ref name="Peterson2" /><ref name="Mooney_Juhász_202007" /><ref name="Adams2">{{cite journal |last1=Adams |first1=Aaron M. |last2=Chen |first2=Xiang |last3=Li |first3=Weidong |last4=Chuanrong |first4=Zhang |title=Normalizing the pandemic: exploring thecartographic issues in state government COVID-19 dashboards |journal=Journal of Maps |date=27 July 2023 |volume=19 |issue=5 |pages=1–9 |doi=10.1080/17445647.2023.2235385|s2cid=260269080 |doi-access=free }}</ref> This saw significant attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, where the prevalence of improper maps on dashboards contributed to the [[infodemic]].<ref name="Mooney_Juhász_202007" /><ref name="Adams2" /><ref name=Everts1>{{cite journal |last1=Everts |first1=Jonathan |title=The dashboard pandemic |journal=Dialogues in Human Geography |year=2020 |volume=10 |issue=2 |pages=260–264 |doi=10.1177/2043820620935355 |s2cid=220418162 |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/9YTSZSDCXKMR3IININZ7/full |access-date=12 September 2022|doi-access=free }}</ref>

Web maps require the internet to host, so they are subject to [[link rot]], making information inaccessible.<ref name="Adams2" /> Unlike physical maps, this can have major impacts on the historical record if the web map is the only source for the data it presents.

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Web mapping allows you to choose a route of travel with provided directions and real time traffic and road condition updates. <ref>{{Cite web |title=How does GIS web mapping affect you and your community? |url=https://www.linkedin.com/advice/1/how-does-gis-web-mapping-affect-you |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=www.linkedin.com |language=en}}</ref> Of course, this is only possible with an internet connection. Populations that are associated with lower incomes may not have access to a mobile device with internet as they may not be able to afford it, limiting them of this resource.

This technology might also be limiting to certain generations, as well. Younger generations have been cultured in technology for the majority of their lives, so web mapping is an easy resource for them to use. However, older generations tend to be less efficient with technology, as it was not around for the majority of their lifetimes. <ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Forrest |first=Matt |date=March 24, 2023 |title=A Brief History of Web Maps |url=https://forrest.nyc/a-brief-history-of-web-maps/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 4, 2023 |access-date=December 4, 2023 |website=Modern GIS and Geospatial Ideas and Guides}}{{dead link|date=November 2023}}</ref> This can make it difficult for the older generation to understand how to use web mapping when planning their travels. They will often resort to paper maps or a GPS, as that is what is comfortable to them, even though those resources are less efficient and are more outdated than web mapping.

As web mapping has become more advanced, they have added a walking feature. This has created an opportunity for the population who might not have access to and/or afford to have a car. <ref name=":3" /> They are still able to take advantage of this technology to get to a destination by foot. Web mapping has also opened up new possibilities to those who might struggle with a vision disorder. More than a quarter of the world’s population (about 2.2 billion people) suffer from vision impairment. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Vision impairment and blindness |url=https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-visual-impairment |access-date=2023-12-04 |website=www.who.int |language=en}}</ref> Web mapping has accommodated this large population by adding a speaking feature. When you enter a destination, you can turn your volume on and the maps will speak your directions to you. This is not only convenient for visually impaired people, but also helps limit distractions while navigating.