Internet Mapping

At the broadest level, Internet mapping refers to the capture, storage, production, and representation of spatial data via the Internet. The spatial component of such data introduces unique hurdles for standard data management and visualization vis-à-vis Internet technologies, and with the increased pervasiveness of location-based services, Internet mapping is becoming a core way to assess patterns and observe relations across data sets. Such a broad definition is necessary, on the one hand, because of the range of technologies involved in delivering an online map, and, on the other, because of the range of spatial practices one enacts in making maps online. An inclusive understanding of Internet mapping combines attention to its constituent technologies with these social and practical considerations. This entry synthesizes these considerations, first ...