Lecture Notes: Impact of Social Media and Geotagging on Worldview

Introduction

• Concern about social media (Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia, Yelp) altering our perception of the world.
• Content is ranked and filtered, narrowing worldviews.
• Focus on the impact of geotagging on perception.

Geotagging and Spatial Data

• Geotag: Data associated with a location on Earth.
• Interaction with geotags through updates on social media platforms (e.g., Facebook check-ins, Yelp reviews, Wikipedia articles).
• Spatial data is unevenly distributed globally.

Inequality in Information Distribution

• Cartogram mapping reveals disparities.
• 70% of content originates from the US and Europe.
• Underrepresentation of continents like South America and Africa compared to countries like France.
• Google and Flickr show similar inequalities in geo-referenced information distribution.
• Absence of data from regions like China, Iran, and Nigeria due to censorship, competing platforms, and digital divide.

Case Study: Hurricane Katrina

• 2005 Hurricane Katrina highlighted digital inequalities mirroring societal inequalities.
• Lower Ninth Ward (poor, less white) had fewer geo tags documenting damage compared to wealthier areas.

Mobile and Social Media Integration

• Mobile maps integrated with social functions exacerbate information inequality.
• Social networks influence map data creation, often skewed by contributors' demographics.
• 93% of map creators and 96% of regional expert reviewers are male.
• Women less likely to geotag due to privacy concerns.

Google's Search Algorithm

• 2011 introduction of social search function.
• Ranking influenced by personal click history, location, and social contacts.

Personalized Mapping and Implications

• Different map results based on personal worldview (example of searches for 'freedom' and 'Humboldt').
• Risks of filter bubbles as described by Eli Pariser.
• Concerns about spatial personalization algorithms limiting exploration and diversity of perspectives.

Conclusion

• Concern about who contributes to maps and whose worldview is included or excluded.
• Warning against a narrow reflection of community through digital maps.
• Emphasis on the need for a pluralistic view of society in mapping representations.