Gate Keepers, Digital Gazetteers and Folksonomies – Part Four and Gate Keepers, Digital Gazetteers and Folksonomies – Part Five – Mike Dobson, Exploring Local

Mike Dobson has been running a great series on Google use of user generated content to create maps via their MapMaker product. In Part Four, he discusses the strategic role of UGC for Google and in Part Five he covers how google might be determining the accuracy and usefulness of the data.

In Part Four he noted that Google is likely already using ugc data collected from MapMaker in Google Maps. He also noted that “Google’s map applications drive a substantial amount of traffic to Google’s online properties and since they will now have detailed maps of areas that no one else has, Google’s comprehensive map coverage strategy could become a traffic driving bonanza and a competitive advantage.” I would contend that it already has done so in many parts of the world.

In Part Five, he references some work by Muki Haklay comparing the accuracy of the user generated content of OpenStreets and the more formally gathered data of the English government’s professional geo data collection unit, the OS (ordnance Survey). He concluded that the ugc content of OpenStreets was “fairly accurate” and if MapMaker was of roughly equal quality would suffice for Google’s needs.

If you want to learn how map’s work in the digital age, Mike Dobson’s blog is a great place to gain some of that knowledge

First Came Geo-Awareness, Then Came Geo-Aware Malware – Read Write Web via the NY Times

There is something different about the latest variant of the Waledac worm: it uses geolocation services to target its intended victims. Initially, the Waledac worm sends a spam email message claiming there has been a dirty bomb explosion in “your city.” If the victim clicks through on the provided link, the worm then uses a geo-IP lookup service to customize the story appearing on the malicious site which is designed to look like that of news agency Reuters.

iPhone OS 3.0 roundup: Push notification, cut and paste, and more – Venture Beat, via the NY Times

Unless you are completely tone deaf, you have probably seen this elsewhere but the Push Notification has significant implications for Local apps and even local advertising. The new Google Maps API for the iPhone also offers promise of turn by turn directions and more. But will the lack of background application support make Maps less powerful than it could be?