Many of us are using digital geographies in our everyday life: Google Maps

Digital geography blends traditional geographic concepts with modern technologies, using tools like digital mapping and GIS to analyze spatial patterns and relationships. It explores the dynamic interaction between physical and digital environments, providing insights into the influence of technology on our understanding of space and place.

Klara Ruppert

Source: Here 

Digital Geography encompass various fundamental concepts, including but not limited to:

1.       Digital Technologies

Digital geographies are concerned with the ways in which digital technologies, such as smartphones, social media, and geospatial technologies, are transforming spatial practices and experiences.

2.       Spatiality

Spatiality refers to the ways in which space is produced, experienced, and understood. Digital geographies explore how digital technologies are transforming spatiality, and how spatiality shapes the use and development of digital technologies (Ash et al. 2019, p.7).

3.       Data

Data is a key component of digital geographies, as it is used to understand and analyze spatial phenomena. Digital geographers work with a range of data sources, including geospatial data, social media data, and sensor data, to gain insights into spatial patterns and processes (Sui & Zhao, 2015 p.197).

4.       Mapping

Mapping is a core practice in digital geographies, as it enables the visualization and analysis of spatial data. Digital geographers use a range of mapping techniques, including geographic information systems (GIS), web mapping, and interactive mapping, to represent spatial phenomena (Sui & Zhao, 2015 p.192)

5.       Spatial Analysis

Spatial analysis is the process of analysing spatial data to identify patterns and relationships. Digital geographers study spatial phenomena using spatial statistics, network analysis, and spatial modelling. More on Spatial analysis here .

6.       Cyberspace

Cyberspace refers to the virtual space created by digital technologies. Digital geographers study how digital technologies are changing the link between cyberspace and physical location.

7.       Digital Divide

The digital divide refers to the unequal distribution of access to digital technologies and the internet. Digital geographers study the social and spatial effects of the digital divide on communities and regions.

Irene Ouma

Since the beginning of the 2020s, we have become well acquainted with another form of digital geography – crisis maps. The COVID-19 pandemic, the Russo-Ukrainian war, and the countless other conflicts that have broken out in recent years, have made apparent the dominance of crisis mapping – whether they be in the news or on social media. Crisis mapping involves gathering and analyzing data during a crisis to create a detailed picture of the complexities of the situation. The ‘near-real-time’ (Kent, 2021) nature of crisis maps means that they allow for the coordination of a timely and efficient response to the situation. A prime example of the importance of crisis mapping can be seen in the COVID-19 pandemic, and the heavily reliance on visualizations of the situation throughout. This digital form of cartography delivered understandable and user-friendly visualizations of the pandemic, which were instrumental in communicating important information to the public. These visualizations were paramount in helping people make sense of the evolving public health crisis and assess their own personal risk level within it. 

A prime example of these visualisations are the maps of coronavirus exposure sites in Melbourne, Australia, published during 2021. These maps were updated daily with new exposure sites across the City of Melbourne, and noted whether these sites were Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 exposure sites. By following the link on the right-hand side, you can see the last update of these exposure site maps, posted by The Age, a news outlet. These maps were checked daily, if not hourly, by the public, and were integral to their decision making and personal risk assessments regarding the safety of where they were planning to travel. These maps were instrumental in curbing the spread of coronavirus in Melbourne, as people were able to avoid areas of exposure and remain safe. In this, we see the capacity crisis maps have in controlling the trajectory of a pandemic. 

These maps fill a gap of ‘information anxiety’ (Kent, 2021) during a crisis and expose the trusting nature of the public. Their willingness to accept these crisis maps as fact also highlight the propensity for misinformation to spread during tense times. The public see these maps as imbued with a sense of authority, and this, in combination with a high demand for information during a crisis, makes room for misinformation within these visuals to spread. This is one of the main limitations of crisis mapping, especially in modern times, where these visuals can be created by anyone, and presented across multiple platforms as fact. 

In these crisis maps, we see the geography of the COVID-19 pandemic in Melbourne through a digital lens. We also see how the digital, combined with geography in the form of maps, has come to play a vital role in the communication of information. We also see how the digital has become intertwined in our decision making processes. Unfortunately, the rapid dissemination of these maps, a symptom of their digital nature, has made room for misinformation to spread during times of crisis. 

Elle Kirwan-Tuite

As mentioned above, there are many impacts, both positive and negative, that digital geography imparts upon society. The integration of the digital into geography has revolutionized the way we see the world – some would say this is a great step forward for society, but many have their reservations. The positive changes associated with digital geography are many, as demonstrated by the list of benefits in figure 1. 

Despite the many benefits digital geography has introduced into society, there are unfortunately also negative impacts. The most prominent of these are the digital divide, and the threats to privacy digital geographies can bring about.

Elle Kirwan-Tuite

While it appears that the internet and its associated digital instruments are accessed by most of the global population, it is unfortunately only accessed by the minority. In 2018, it was reported that 4.2 billion people, only 55% of the population, had access to the internet (Pick and Sarkar 2020). If we take a deeper look at this issue, we see that 80% of those in the global north use the internet, while only 45% of those in the global south do (Pick and Sarkar 2020). In these specificities we see that while the internet and digitality has brought us together in many aspects, it has also amplified the ‘differences between the privileged and underprivileged’ (Graham, Hale & Stephens 2012). This phenomenon is what we call the digital divide, a term that came about during the 1990s. The digital divide is defined as ‘differences in access to, and purposeful use of, information technologies by individuals, or by administrative or geographical regions, such as cities, states, countries, and continents’ (Pick & Sarkar 2020). 

The digital divide has seen urban and ‘developed’ areas become heavily imbedded in the digital world, thanks to their prioritization by private corporations, while less developed areas are left excluded. This disproportionate diffusion of the digital has resulted in a surplus of information and technology in many urban areas, and a deficit in poorer regions of the global south. In this divide, we see the perpetuation of social inequalities, where those in the global north are prioritized over the global south. These inequalities in digital access have considerable influence on the social, economic, cultural, and political happenings of these disadvantaged populations, and further marginalizes them. These populations are once again prevented from accessing technology that will benefit them in the name of economic development in the global north.  

Elle Kirwan-Tuite

There is also a second issue associated with digital geography, and this is the threat to privacy that it can represent. While it feels like the internet, and the digital world, have been around forever, these things are relatively new. As a result, they come with privacy and security concerns attached. 

An example of this is the fact that we must often sacrifice a percentage of our privacy to become a part of the digital world. While this was once a small percentage, we are now having to accept sacrificing more privacy as we become further embedded in the digital world. Often, the internet is our first port of call if we are seeking geographical information. If we want directions to get somewhere, we use google maps. If we want to visit a restaurant that an influencer we follow on social media dined at, we can simply click the location-pin they shared. With these clicks we can not only see someone else’s location, but we are also sharing our own. This presents a rather large privacy risk – the fact that ‘someone else’ always has access to our location, and knowns our movements (Cartwright 2003). 

For more information on Privacy Threats and Digital Geography, check out the paper 'From Mapping Physical and Human Geographies to Mapping ‘Personal Geographies’: Privacy and Security Issues' by William Cartwright

Elle Kirwan-Tuite

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WATCH!

For a better understanding of these theoretical intricacies, watch this video of Rob Kitchin presenting his thoughts on digital geographies.  It is especially interesting that Kitchin notes the western-centric nature of digital geographies, and highlights that we must work to understand this concept from the perspective of those in the global south. 

Elle Kirwan-Tuite

Mission:

Guess the hidden country every day. Use the clues to guess it with the fewest attempts possible.

The clues you will get:

• Hemisphere where the country you selected is located

• Continent where the country you selected is located

• Average temperature of the country you have chosen

• Population of the country you have selected

• Geographical direction of the country you are looking for in relation to the country you have selected.

I've recorded myself playing the game, giving you a sneak peek at how it unfolds. Take a first look by checking out the video! 

Klara Ruppert

  Klara Ruppert