Week 3 Lab: Neogeography!

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   Neogeography is a great way for members of the general public (with low skill level in regards to map reading, making, etc.) to learn the basic concepts of maps, navigation, and geography. It allows for direct and interactive involvement in vacation planning, visiting a friend, and general tourism, with visual and continually updating information (a..k.a. instant gratification) that today's society finds so pertinent. In a way, neogeography (along with social networking) is helping push the people of our planet towards a paperless, and completely virtual society.
   Unfortunately, their are quite a few downsides to neogeography. First of all, it is slowly creating a society unable to actually understand the methods behind map reading and making. Not many people in the new generation can understand what exactly it means to "get directions" on Google Maps, much less read an actual paper map. Secondly, unverified, public made maps are surfacing and being used by others and accepted unquestioningly as truthful. Everyone has access to to the internet and many incompetent people are littering these sites with erroneous information. Lastly, these maps are produced for free by the public, and then used by big corporations without compensation to the original maker of the map. Without knowing, millions of people are lending themselves out as free labor sources, only increasing the power of big corporations such as Google.