This article by Zook et al. (2010) talks about VGI specifically in the context of the 2010 Earthquake in Haiti, but more broadly discusses many of the issues presented in Goodchild and Li (2012) regarding the accuracy and validity VGI. I think Zook et al. (2010) do a good job of considering many aspects of VGI, including issues in data licensing and compatibility, as well as the exclusive nature of VGI which is mostly restricted to people with the technical skills to participate in many cases, and the fact that “there will always be people and communities that are left off the map” (29). While reading that line I wondered, even though VGI is not necessarily accurate, and even though some people will be completely excluded from the VGI for a myriad of reasons (no access to internet or mobile platforms, illiteracy, distance from centres of help, etc…) is it not worth trying? There is a level of error and inaccuracy in any projected geographic information, but that does not stop us from using GISystems.
Moreover, while reading this I thought back to the Johnson, Ricker and Harrison (2017) article I shared with the class, where many of the same issues in accuracy, licensing and intention are presented. I wondered if, despite these unresolved issues, UAVs do not present an opportunity to collect objective, real-time data in instances of disaster mitigation and relief? Because UAVs were used in recent instances of disaster relief, I wonder how the discussion has shifted to include some of the particular issues that arise from their use.