A Participant in the Web of Platform - Participatory Mapping: New Data, New Cartography - page 43

for sharing content and data between
communities and applications. In this way,
content that is created in one place can be
dynamically posted and/or updated in multiple
locations on the Web; for example photos can be
shared from sites like Flickr to Social Network
sites like Facebook and MySpace. [SON 10, p.10]

Two competing models arise on the issue of data

possession within the Web of platform model.

3.2. Google Maps versus OpenStreetMap?

In order to understand Google's interest in providing a
mapping service, it is important to place it within its
ecosystem. Google Maps mainly enables the Mountain View
company to secure its position at the forefront of the Web
and to increase its supply of indexable data. In this, Google
attributes a different agenda to base maps than the OSM
association.

3.2.1. The map according to Google

Google is known for its appetite for “grassroots
innovation”, for example with its “20% projects” which allows
Google employees to use a fifth of their working hours to
develop their own projects [LEV 11] 8 . In the case of its
mapping service, Google may simply have taken a gamble
without having a set agenda concerning its potential uses. In
the context of a “pollination economy” [MOU 10], the aim is

8 These projects used to be shown on Google Labs but are no longer online.
Similarly, several reporters recently claimed that this management model
based on the employees' own projects was not Google's priority anymore.
Quartz , 16 August 2013: http://qz.com/115831/googles-20-time-which-
brought-you-gmail-and-adsense-is-now-as-good-asdead.