Google Maps Now Editable by Anyone
In an understated post today to the Google Lat Long blog, a major new wrinkle in online mapping was announced. Google Maps can now be edited by anyone. Once signed in with your Google Account, you can change the details or location of any listing on Google Maps, or delete a location's listing altogether.
Recent edits, which you can view through a strange interface here are going to be a nightmare.
How will the validity of edits be monitored? I have no idea and the project's FAQ page is a 404, as is the page for business owners. Sure enough, though, I tested the feature and it is live. There is at least some kind of filtering going on - I wasn't allowed to change my local Republican Party office's website to Fleshbot.com. ("may be inappropriate") Hmph! What fun is that?
Hopefully goofing around with the most important map in the world won't imperil your (ok, my) webmail account, but Google's omniscience may be one important deterrent to vandalism. It's long been unclear how or if users could influence listings and locations on Google Maps. Incorrect information is common. I, for example, have had to live for miles further away from a grocery store that Google Maps said was in my neighborhood before I moved to where I live.
Google's "click to call" feature, launched in November 2006, didn't last very long because it was so vulnerable to spoofing. Presumably the company learned from that experience and has a more stable arrangement in place for this major new feature.
This could be very, very big. Will Microsoft's Live.com maps follow suit?
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Whoa. Like wikipedia for maps. That's hard to fathom...I really want my maps to be accurate. And what if I'm an advertiser? Some goof can edit my stuff?
Posted by: Brendon Connelly | March 18, 2008 2:18 PM
Me too I want to have exact maps, let's give time to all!
Posted by: sikantis | March 18, 2008 2:39 PM
It is wikipedia for maps. or rather in google terms Knol for maps. Can be really big thing. And will almost certainly add quality( it may sound counterintutive though)
Posted by: Varun Mahajan | March 18, 2008 3:07 PM
FAQ and Info for Businesses links worked for me
Posted by: E | March 18, 2008 3:33 PM
Tried it for Nice, France. "Editing is currently not allowed in this country."
Posted by: peter | March 18, 2008 4:53 PM
i just wanna say one word "i love you google"
Posted by: sohbet | March 18, 2008 5:19 PM
No, OpenStreetMap is Wikipedia for maps, as it has a free license, instead of Google Maps' restrictive one. Spend your time improving maps everyone can use, not just Google.
Posted by: James | March 18, 2008 7:42 PM
Hmm. Live Maps has already done this for quite a while...
Posted by: Quikboy | March 20, 2008 1:04 PM
mh... who uses live maps?
Posted by: Sam | March 23, 2008 9:14 AM