Spatial Data Infrastructure and Voluntary Geographic Information

With the development of the Web 2.0 era, new technologies and applications have emerged to make it possible for individuals to produce and share geographic information on the Internet. This development is expanding at a high rate, and has received large response from users. Spatial data infrastructure is a framework of policies, institutional arrangements, technologies, data and people that makes it possible to share and use effectively geographic information while geographic data collected through crowd-sourced movements or methods is known as Volunteered geographic information or collaborative mapping. This paper explores the concept of VGI and elaborates on the lack of utilization of SDI. First a short history is given on the beginnings of VGI, then an elaboration on the differences and similarities between SDI and VGI. This is followed by the difficulties faced by the SDI. Next, the motivations of people to contribute geographic information are explained, followed by the significance of VGI. The fact that SDI and VGI operate in a different environment explains the question why a high number of people participate in VGI. Furthermore, the data-centric character of SDI constrains their utilization. This can be improved by providing information to end-users. Keywords—Voluntary Geographic Information, Spatial Data Infrastructure, Web 2.0