Comments on: Google Maps + TeleAtlas + TomTom = Powerful map update strategy

By: Google Replaces Tele Atlas Data in US with Google StreetView Data | Understanding Google Maps & Local Search

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:50:19 +0000

[...] missing townships and use of very old mapping information were not uncommon. Despite powerful new feedback systems by Tele Atlas, time to repair these errors has often been 6 to 8 months, if ever, leading to additional [...]

By: GPS Reviews

GPS Reviews — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:50:55 +0000

Spamming becomes tough once the community is sufficiently large and each member weighted evenly. This system should work on the macro level, but will occasionally require human intervention on the micro level. Some places are just too remote to aggregate enough information.

By: Will Google’s Streetview Data be used to replace TeleAtlas? » Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:03:31 +0000

[...] recent aquisition by TomTom they provide a sophisticated near real time network of PND devices that provide fast and accurate corrections. Google though does have the potential of Android and Fee pointed out that the iPhone already has [...]

By: TomTom rolls out new mapping product, announces 5 millionth user edit » Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:37:36 +0000

[...] they seemed to be positioned to take advantage of the synergy of their relationship with TomTom to dramatically improve the data quality and keep it up to [...]

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:22:19 +0000

@Miriam

I tried on your example in my experiment and couldn’t make it work with the current system of checks and balances…

Someone could claim a street is closed but the GPS data for all those not participating in the scam would belie the effort, no? So how many folks with how many GPS’s would it take to overcome the real people that might be driving by…a lot

No that doesn’t work… because unless the rewards are commensurate with the effort nobody would do it…In Google Maps the effort is very low and the rewards could be high. Here it is just the opposite. No rational thief would waste his time… Now I agree that there are irrational ones and vindictive ones but these folks have a specific agenda.

The review spam has been common in Maps for a long time and Cathy and I have spoken about it a number of times. It is odious behavior but once Google removed the stars from the Universal Local results, the outcome of the spam reviews is just the opposite of the intended scam…the florists are actually rewarded in the current design by having more reviews. Very few people dig deeply into Maps to see the bad reviews.

I would venture to speculate that her placement in the Ten Pack more than offsets any bad reviews in Maps. But only Google knows for sure.

Mike

By: MiriamEllis

MiriamEllis — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:08:09 +0000

I follow you, Mike.

I was thinking more along the lines of the competitor spam we’ve seen (3rd St., location of Joe’s Chili House, is closed).

After reading Matt McGee’s coverage of that awful florist spam he came across yesterday, I would put nothing past these bad guys.

Miriam

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:34:54 +0000

@Martijn
They are worth listening to. I haven’t seen the TomTom software so I don’t know about the POIs, I don’t see why not but they would require a different methodology.

@Miriam

The question of whether it could be spammed occurred to me and I did a number of mind experiments non of which seem very plausible…but we humans are a creative species…

The system of people + gps data + aerial data makes it hard to make it up. I suppose a bunch of neighbors could slam their cars to a stop at the end of the street, all run in their houses and do a report to TomTom and Google that there is no thru traffic, in an effort to slow down traffic on their street…but then people would drive thru anyways….I had trouble envisioning how the outcome could be worth the effort…

People are participating in the system for different reasons than in business listings, the community is more motivated by personal safety and the desire to make the system work better for themselves…ie the self interest is for accuracy not for $.

There is a critical mass of users already engaged that would dominate any attempt at spamming….

There is a multi view check of the data before changing….

It wouldn’t be impossible but its not clear that it would be that successful.

Mike

By: MiriamEllis

MiriamEllis — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:30:03 +0000

Hey, this is exciting, Mike. Real time map edits? That sounds amazing.

Oh, gosh, could it be spammed though? This thought just came to me…

Great reporting on this.
Miriam

By: martijn

martijn — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:56:35 +0000

Well I believe that this is exactly what online mapping needs to avoid those situations described, like miriam has.
Missing roads, villages, poor information about Points of Interests like medical centers, etc.
Maps is not just streets and roadsigns. TomTom uses their desktop software to let you add POIs. Wouldn’t be surprised if they use this and user input as feedback data for these as well.

nice writeup! still gotta find myself some time to watch whole podcast.

By: Fast Take on News of the Morning « Screenwerk

Fast Take on News of the Morning « Screenwerk — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:41:43 +0000

[...] Blumenthal has a very interesting post about Google and TeleAtlas’ community data-update strategy and [...]