Lab 3: Neogeography

View Places I've Been With The US Navy in a larger map

     People today are obsessed with broadcasting personal information about their whereabouts and activities. With websites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, MySpace, personal blogs and a number of others, countless numbers of people have access to the information you provide. Google Maps is one particular means of providing information geographically for others to gain insight on locations throughout the world. This form of neogeography provides easy access for people to learn about places they plan on visiting, places they’ve been, or places they are simply curious about. The information is easy to obtain, and the integrated multimedia enhances the represented data.

     However, a great amount of caution should be used when providing such information to the public. For example, my map was about places I have been since being in the United States Navy. I took great care in making sure certain operational areas were generalized. I did not mark the exact points of where my unit was operating out of; instead I placed the points in the general surrounding area so to not jeopardize future operations. If I showed the exact operating areas, the security of military units could be compromised and their lives be put in danger. Granted not all social network sites or neogeography sites deal with military affiliated information, however information provided may still put individuals at risk. Providing routine whereabouts and places visited make it easy for other people to find that person. It’s very difficult to monitor who views what on the internet, and there are dangerous people out there. Additionally, there isn’t someone to monitor the accuracy of the information provided. Someone living in Italy may post false information about ruins in an incorrect area of the country and a student in may use that information to plan a trip or use it for a research project. When using mediums created by unofficial means, everyone should consider the risks and erroneous possibilities.