Chapter 6 - Crowdsourced geospatial data in human and Earth observations: opportunities and challenges

Abstract

Crowdsourced geospatial data, referring to data sources gathered from networks of volunteers, has greatly transformed the paradigms of human and Earth observations in many ways, thanks to the emerging concepts of “Web 2.0,” “Big Data,” and “Citizen Sciences.” This chapter (1) narrates popular crowdsourced geospatial data by describing the characteristics of their contributors, detailing the data collecting means and analytical frameworks, and showcasing their real-world applications; (2) discusses the challenges in crowdsourced geospatial data from the perspectives of data handling requirements, data quality problems, privacy concerns, governance, and repeatability/reproducibility-related issues. We illustrate the opportunities and challenges of crowdsourced geospatial data in human observations, Earth observations, and human–environment observations. By summarizing the crowdsourced geospatial data sources, analytical tools and frameworks, applications, and limitations, this chapter gives a big picture of the contemporary development of crowdsourced geospatial analytics as well as possible future directions where its potential can be better harnessed.