Google Maps is one of the few things that is universally loved by internet users. Find a person who doesn’t like Google Maps and I can guarantee you they’re either insane, a moron, or both. That said, the ubiquitous cartography service isn’t without its little quirks.
Aside from the maelstrom of litigation that has erupted over Google’s Street View service – especially in Germany – the main complaint levelled at Google Maps is inaccuracy. Since Google launched Places – essentially the Yellow Page on a map – there have been minor, but audible, complaints about the accuracy of their service.
Speaking from experience, Google asserts there is a bar across the street from my house where in reality there is a hedge, and an office I sometimes work out of is located about three streets away according to Google’s hive-mind. But then, to Google’s credit, some minor issues are bound to crop up when you take on the task of mapping, indexing and photographing the entire world.
Having employed a clunky “tell us about it and we’ll fix it” approach up until now, Google is now looking to put power in the hands of the people with Google Map Maker. Initially rolling out in just the United States (everywhere else is just a depressing, white wasteland currently), Map Maker will allow Maps users to edit, add to and improve the existing Google Maps, on the basis that everybody knows their neighbourhood better than Google ever could.
Users will be able to add elements such as car parks, footpaths and tennis courts to the Maps, features that would have otherwise been left out by Google relying mostly on road maps. After submission edits and new items will be reviewed by other users and made live. We’d assume each edit will have to be reviewed a few times to ensure quality – cleverly Google seem to be specifying only people in your locale can review your edits.
If you want to know more, of course any Google product launch wouldn’t be complete without a kitsch video.
