The Frightening Future of Digital Maps: Monica Stephens at TEDxEureka

Monica Stephens is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Humboldt State University. She is interested in social networks, GIS, cartographic visualizations, and the gendered dimensions of Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI).

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[jessicaperrol]

I am watching this just because my geography professor assigned it. I am wondering if he is taking a lot of his time to find these useless videos to share with the class. Thank you professor!

[Mariko]

I never understand some of the negative comments here. This is one of the best TED talks I've watched, and it's quite eye-opening.

[prosca]

Interesting topic, however, I just see the message differently here.  I think the title is a bit misleading.  In my opinion, it shouldn't be titled "The Frightening Future of Digital Maps", but more along the lines of, "What Social Media and Geotagging Can Show Us".  This isn't about maps right?  It's about using maps as a tool to display what people choose to do with social media.  For example, I'm a male and I don't use geotagging, I choose to turn that feature off.  About the 9th ward.  I was there for the Katrina relief efforts, and i'm not sure if you are suggesting that those in the lower 9th ward should have had their phones on geotagging things, but i'll be honest, I don't think that was on their minds.  As far as your map displaying the upper 9th ward with a lot more geotagging data, again that is just showing us how people decide to use their social media, correct?

[nathanchris]

Why was this assigned as class material, it was probably the least useful ted talk I have ever watched. The fact that it doesn't have more dislikes is astounding.

[isaacoshima]

Interesting train of thought in the talk and ideas to ponder.  IMHO, most of the examples seem to have very logical reasons why the data is distributed in such a way.  For example, over the timeline of Katrina; it would seem that there would likely be less incidences of geo-tagging from the public from areas of evacuation (no body would be there).  The gender gap is interesting too but take this specific comment section (for this TED talk), it appears most commentary are disproportionately from males, but this does not mean that youtube is filtering female commentary.  The Internet and the large search engines, photo sites, etc... are not responsible for spatial equality.  They reflect the already underlying non-random user base.  Correcting this perceived "google" bias would in itself be a massive filtering of data.  In any case, food for thought for sure, so thank you Monica for this talk.  I'm googling disabling content filtering right now!  I would like to see what I'm potentially missing out on; then again I might find that I'm going to get a lotta junk and have to turn filtering back on.... ;-O

[DFEAudio]

I just tried what she did with the maps and if I am honest, they don't actually seem to work that way. She must be using a specific way of searching that just isn't the normal google maps search. At least that is true of the UK. I also tested this with my girlfriends google account etc. and we had identical results. I don't think what this person is talking about should be the main topic but rather what geotagging can do to help show you the world around you. Maybe. Sneh sneh

[mattdoa]

Unfortunately I found this to be quite a short sighted TED Talk as people can control how and what they search. Yes, there are people who do not know how to do this but for those people the data associated with their location is very helpful and not a hindrance. As a researcher and scientist I can sympathise with Monica on the need for objective information but I cannot see how that is relevant for the entire internet. In my opinion there are plenty of resources for that sort of thing. Additionally I do not see what right we have to be making statements about other countries laws and contributions to our data. With that kind of thinking we may as well march over to whichever country we believe is doing it wrong and overthrow their leadership for our own selfish gain.    

[gbp]

Perhaps this should be seen differently, since one's life has a finite amount of time, one can concentrate on what interests us. For example, before the internet my knowledge of the New York City's long-delayed Second Avenue Subway involved 2 books, one a revisal of the other, about the history of New York's subways. (Brian Cudahy, Beneath The Sidewalks Of New York). When I first got access to (dial up) internet, I learned that New York was finally building it. This interests me. (Now with broadband that's even better and less time consuming.) Not so much my mates who instead worry about the Ohio State Buckeyes' exploits or things that would interest the presenter or my lady friends at work. It did get me thinking, though; so nice job, Ms. Stephens!

[syntheticnd]

Esto es muy sierto. Los mapas no dan con bola. Nadamascon manejar alrededor del estado y tendran resultado: y tambien estamos en el tiempo de la desinformacion. Informes asi como el de esta libertad....y otra persona sea amigo o amiga que tecle lo mismo...(libertad) La persona le diga a la otra que resultados tienen ambos. Los resultados no seran los mismos....cadaquien tendra algo eso el mapa geologico nunca estara para guiarnos. Solo esta para donde queremos ir lo que queremos Y EN CHINA SE LE LLAMA CONTROL!!!! Y YA esta siendo puesto en solo depende el que quiere detenerse y leer antes de seguir. Ojo....El agua contaminada mundialmente y para saber El elote esta contaminado por monsanto desde el 2010 o 2010. Estos son los ultimos de los tiempos. Todabia gente se pregunta sobre la tribulacion.

[jennleighton]

to all of those too shortsighted to understand her argument and are just calling her a stupid feminist, when Google posts statistics on what people are doing at least in regard to geo-information they're basicly only tracking men, and where they have gone and what they do. And she does point out why women don't post where they are, it kinda keeps women safe in big cities since we have such a wonderful rape culture (thanks ted talks)

[marksmith]

thank you for speaking about this topic.

[Fishbowlfx]

Good effort. It's not easy to talk under the shadow of TED. There is always that casting of intimidation.
Nevertheless, good data and content, though instances of interpreting data into information not quite elaborated. This is the real danger- misinterpreting the data and painting a different picture in the end. That is frightening indeed..

[yoongishadow]

This completely came true. We now live in a world of echo chambers