Volunteered geographic information production as a spatial process

Abstract

Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia that anyone can edit and a popular example of usergenerated content that includes volunteered geographic information (VGI). In this article, we present three main contributions: (1) a spatial data model and collection methods to study VGI in systems that may not explicitly support geographic data;(2) quantitative methods for measuring distance between online authors and articles; and (3) empirically calibrated results from a gravity model of the role of distance in VGI production. To model spatial processes of VGI contributors, we use an invariant exponential gravity model based on article and author proximity. We define a proximity metric called a 'signature distance' as a weighted average distance between an article and each of its authors, and we estimate the location of 2.8 million anonymous authors through IP geolocation. Our study collects empirical data directly from 21 language-specific Wikipedia databases, spanning 7 years of contributions (2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008) to nearly 1 million geotagged articles. We find empirical evidence that the spatial processes of anonymous contributors fit an exponential distance decay model. Our results are consistent with the prior results on information diffusion as a spatial process, but run counter to theories that a globalized Internet neutralizes distance as a determinant of social behaviors.

La vía ecléctica de producción y consumo de datos espaciales

“…De manera especial sobresale el valor del prosumidor como experto de la realidad local (HARDY et al, 2012), en concreto, en su espacio de actividad de familiaridad cotidiana (GOODCHILD, 2009a). Además se subrayan las ventajas del capital humano que es capaz de movilizar la neogeografía frente al modelo productivo tradicional.…”

Temporal analysis of activity patterns of editors in collaborative mapping project of OpenStreetMap

“…Finally, we assume that contributions are made locally that is they come from users from that country who share the same timezone. Although this assumption is debatable as the Internet globalisation has created a worldwide user base with little guarantee of 'localness', studies such as [8,12,9] Method. To capture the editing patterns of editors in OSM, we compute two different measures:…”

An Analysis of Geospatial Technologies for Risk and Natural Disaster Management

“…More specific are: observed rating from other users, the occurrence of keywords pre-defined, spatial information about the event and cross-checking between different sources (platforms) and also with administrative or commercial databases. Methods for studying VGI are already being developed, as observed in [81]. In [81], a quantitative method was developed to measure distances between the location of the author and the location of the subject, with a discussion of the role of distance in the production of VGI; in other words, how contributions are affected by distance, and, consequently, how socio-behavioral issues are generated from the new online forms of collective authorship, which the authors call "online collective authorship."…”

“…In [81], a quantitative method was developed to measure distances between the location of the author and the location of the subject, with a discussion of the role of distance in the production of VGI; in other words, how contributions are affected by distance, and, consequently, how socio-behavioral issues are generated from the new online forms of collective authorship, which the authors call "online collective authorship." In addition, according to [81], new approaches to the geolocation of geographic information contributors would have a significant impact on VGI research.…”