A very commonly question about Geoweb 2.o is about quality assurance. In the web 2.0 users are not only data consumers nearly everyone becomes a data producer. If we think about projects like Wikipedia which is typical Web 2.0 application this is an important topic and it is also important for the Geoweb (e.g. OpenStreetMap).
How can we guarantee that the data produced is accurate? Which mechanism will be used to ensure data quality?
According to Vinton Cerf the answer is quite simple:
It’s important to think also about other media as well, because the internet is working basically in the same way - it is no better no worse than other media in which information is conveyed. How do we guarantee that all information in the newspapers (TV, books, …) is correct? - The answer is: We don’t. What we do is that we look for indicators of acceptance. You maybe don’t look at every movie on the TV, you probably don’t read every newspaper. You ask your friends about their opinion. You look for social idications for approval, acceptance or accurency. This is also the way how it will work in the Web 2.0.
What is important in this space is branding.
(There is no absulute accurency - also not in Geoinformation)
But there are some technical opportunities to prevent imput of falsified or modified information (e.g., digital signitures).
[via geoweb conference 2007]
Written and submitted from Home, using my 802.11g WiFi network.
I’ve approached some of my supervisors/coworkers with the idea of exposing non-sensitive data to the crowd. The primary objection is the liability aspect. Disclaimers only do so much to mitigate this, the argument goes - if an agency or firm even attempts to maintain data used by the public they invariably take some responsibility for its accuracy. They see it as a significant potential cost for a marginal gain.