Mapping is a measure for communication between people, places or times. As is mentioned in Introduction: Mapping Meaning by Denis Cosgrove, maps collect knowledge and construct a structure to spread it, along with which historical, cultural contexts and power structure play an important role. Mapping often consists of four phrases: scale, framing, selections and coding. The map-making process introduced by Denis Cosgrove is determined by authors. By no means would the users nor mass population participate in the map-making process. Once a map is published, the process ends until another version of the map is released.
Internet, however, grand the opportunity for mapping to be more dynamic. As is mentioned in Introduction: Mapping Meaning, the tradition of mapping shows a significant feature as Eurocentric, where cartography could be traced back to “pre-Socratic Greek astronomy and Alexandrian and Roman imperial administration” (8). It shows a pursuit of logos and metaphysics, that the world has an essential question to be answered, which, I believe, laid the foundation of topology and cultural hegemony in mapping. Nevertheless, Internet topples such logocentrism by blurring the boundary of ownership. Before Internet, the authors of maps could make their sole discretion by selecting elements presented and other phenomena omitted. With Internet, everyone could alter maps as long as they are granted access. online maps could update as much as possible, as fast as possible, and put into use as soon as possible, when physical maps must be printed before using and circling. Time sequence in mapping has been deemphasized. Therefore, users, when granted access, could share the ownership with those who claim to be authors. Almost everyone could have right to report an error if the online maps mistake a place or a road. What is more, for family-run business, online maps give them access to either tag or claim a place, usually the site for their business. This has caught my attention. Maps sometimes construct a new reality different from what is surrounding us. In the surrounding reality, those family-run business owners have absolute ownership in their business sites. And such ownership has been expanding into mapping reality.
Admitted, Internet could alter the dynamic in the mapping’s ownership. However, topology still exert in the online maps. As is mentioned above, the perquisite in sharing the ownership has a technological barrier. Only those who are granted access or have the capability in computer coding could participate in the map-making process. Tagging or claiming a certain place now only open to business owners, which means who would like to claim needs to show a certification that they actually own the sites. Additionally, any changes involving users need to be reviewed by the service providers. It strengthens the power of the tech company. A new way for those service providers to make money is to charge business owners to pay for their sites’ exposure in the online maps.
Click here if you want to know more about how claim a place in online maps, taking Baidu Map as an example.
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