Digital Agora – Knowledge acquisition from spatial databases, geoinformation society VGI and social media data

Abstract

The essence of VGI (volunteered geographic information) lies not only in obtaining spatial data from residents (the classic “citizens as sensors” approach (Goodchild, 2007), but also in stimulating them to be active as far as social (geo)participation shaping the development of urban space. The contemporary challenge of the “smart city” era is the creation of a Digital Agora, which facilitates (and analytically supports) not only social debate on spatial planning, but also enabling the acquisition of spatial knowledge. The article presents the application of geoinformation technology and spatial data mining in the analysis of VGI data and knowledge acquisition for the purpose of sustainable urban development. The aim of the article is to propose a general model of digital social debate on the participatory creation of a smart city and sustainable spatial development. This approach can be used to collect spatial data and transform them into useful spatial knowledge. The article discusses two cases of using the Digital Agora model to collect and analyze spatial data.