Google Maps’ COVID-19 layer as an interface for pandemic life

Gekker, Alex

doi:10.1177/20501579221143325

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…In late September 2020, Google introduced a COVID-19 layer into its mapping platform, indicating infection levels and, in some countries, also guiding users to testing centers (28). Later, Google Maps' COVID-19 layer has been used as an interface for pandemic life (29). In Poland, Google map was employed to investigate changes in regional and local mobility patterns during COVID-19 lockdown (30).…”

Section: Results and Discussion Applications Of Internet Mapping Tech...mentioning

confidence: 99%

How Can Internet Mapping Technologies Contribute to the COVID-19 Fight?

Nguyen,

Than,

Bui

2023

Int J Res Rev

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Corona Virus Disease 19 (Covid-19) is an infectious disease caused by the acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).Attempts on the use of advanced techniques have been made in the study the COVID-19 pandemic. Particularly, the influence of Internet coverage on web-based applications may increase the crucial roles of Internet Mapping Technologies (IMTs) in the study of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to assess how can IMTs contribute to the COVID-19 fight, particularly give an overview of applications offered by IMTs to study the COVID-19 pandemic. Web of Science, Scopus, and Google scholar were searched to find relevant studies. Three different issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic is presented under three sub-sections; namely applications of IMTs on mapping COVID-19, in the fast acquisition of COVID-19-related data and on decision-making, strategic planning and response to COVID-19, respectively. The findings of this review provide an insight into how to ITMs contribute in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The wide range of applications offered by IMTs affirms the value of this advanced technique to the study of the COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords: Internet Mapping Technologies, WebGIS, Applications, COVID-19, Review.

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Section: Results and Discussion Applications Of Internet Mapping Tech...mentioning

confidence: 99%

How Can Internet Mapping Technologies Contribute to the COVID-19 Fight?

Nguyen,

Than,

Bui

2023

Int J Res Rev

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“… Andrade and Nery Filho (2022) did not conduct interviews, but instead sent out an online survey. Finally, both Gekker (2022) and Frith et al (2022) conducted analysis of popular press sources and written documents about past pandemics. These diverse data collection and analysis methods show us that mobile communication data can be obtained in many different ways, depending on contextual circumstances and specific research questions.…”

Section: Mobile Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Like Coleman and Mari, another set of articles in this special issue investigates how the pandemic impacted personal mobility and how people interacted with mobile technologies in urban spaces. In “Google Maps’ COVID-19 layer as an interface for pandemic life,” Gekker (2022) explores the Google Maps’ COVID-19 layer as an interface for the user in motion during the pandemic. The COVID-19 layer was a special Google Maps feature launched in September 2020 and shut down two years later.…”

Section: Urban and Transnational Networked Mobilitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 now and then: Reflections on mobile communication and the pandemic

Silva

Xiong-Gum

2023

Mobile Media & Communication

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The COVID-19 pandemic may soon be coming to its end, but COVID-19 still kills thousands of people every single day (at time of writing). Even if COVID-19 now represents less of a health risk, and less disruption to our personal lives, we know this won’t be the last pandemic. Preparing for the next pandemic includes understanding the past and planning for the future. It includes rethinking “normal” ways of interacting with others, our technologies, and the spaces in which we live. In this introduction, we show how the pandemic has challenged the role of mobile communication in our everyday lives, making us rethink the very meaning of mobile communication—from simply communicating while on the move, to a networked resource that supports emotional and personal connections. During the pandemic, mobile communication practices and the development of new mobile technologies, such as contact-tracing apps and mobile mapping, was strongly tied to the infrastructural politics that took place through government and private companies’ interventions. In addition, mobile technologies became a primary source of support for those who became immobile, or were forced to move. However, mobile communication is not only enabled by end devices; it happens at the intersection of both end devices and the infrastructures that enable them to work. The articles in this special issue reflect some of these themes, and address how the pandemic has shaped and rearranged our mobile communication, sociability, and networked urban mobility practices around the world. Although each article engages with the challenges of the pandemic in its unique and original way, in this introduction we highlight some overlapping topics and methodologies that run across multiple articles, namely historical perspectives on the pandemic, urban and transnational networked mobilities, the use of mobile apps and interfaces for community and self-care, pandemic context in the Global South, and networks and infrastructures.

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Life fits home: Exploring people's experience with a COVID-19 tracing app in Turkey through a qualitative study

Alan

2024

Mobile Media & Communication

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Mobile apps have been developed to manage COVID-19 in many countries. However, for these apps to be truly effective, they need to be widely adopted by society. To date, there has been less qualitative research on user experiences and perspectives on these apps. The goal of this study was to explore how users perceive and use different features of a COVID-19 tracing app provided in Turkey. Semi-structured interviews ( n = 15) were conducted over the phone, audio recorded, and then transcribed verbatim. The transcriptions were analyzed through thematic analysis. The analysis began by categorizing each transcript at the sentence level through open codes, which then grouped into broader themes. In total, 8 male and 7 female participants from 10 different cities took part in the interviews. On average, participants were 32 years ( SD = 6.8) old, and their app usage experience was 9.8 months ( SD = 3.1). Thematic analysis revealed five key themes: long-term adoption and engagement, perception and desired features, privacy concerns, reliability, and emotional and behavioral impact. The main reasons for users to download and use the app were to check the COVID-19 density map in their region and to access personal health codes for security checks. The COVID-19 density map caused many users to change where they usually travel and shop. Most participants felt comfortable sharing their personal data to collectively manage the pandemic. The majority found the app useful, stating that the app allows them to take precautions against the virus and therefore helps them feel good emotionally. Future contact tracing apps need to provide indicators to enable users to evaluate whether app use is making a difference in the pandemic.

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Google Maps’ COVID-19 layer as an interface for pandemic life

Cited by 3 publications

References 58 publications

How Can Internet Mapping Technologies Contribute to the COVID-19 Fight?

How Can Internet Mapping Technologies Contribute to the COVID-19 Fight?

COVID-19 now and then: Reflections on mobile communication and the pandemic

Life fits home: Exploring people's experience with a COVID-19 tracing app in Turkey through a qualitative study

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