Google Maps user contributions
Google Maps accepts user contributions in various forms, and under various names. In particular these days Google is inviting people to become "Local Guides" and contribute to their street view imagery with their smartphones. Previously they ran a program by the name of "Google Map Maker". These concepts of "crowdsourcing" geodata are a direct rival to OpenStreetMap in terms of competing for contributors and map editing contributions. OpenStreetMap is better, for one simple and very fundamental reason:
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Google Maps is a closed system. Only Google gets to choose what can be done with the data you enter. You input geodata, the positions of roads etc, you see it on Google Maps and in a range of services and tools produced with the data, but... You can't get your geodata back out again. Google owns the underlying data and they protect their commercial interests by keeping this locked away (even though it was contributed by you). If you spend time contributing to Google Maps, you are helping a commercial company to build their market dominance. Data presentation varies based on markets, even though the underlying data is the same.  |
OpenStreetMap offers open data. Anyone is allowed to use your data – for useful, fun and exciting purposes. You input geodata, you see it on openstreetmap.org and use it in a range of services and tools, and... The data is available to download with an open license giving everyone the freedom to reuse, redistribute and build applications with it. The licence allows commercial use but OpenStreetMap itself is a not-for-profit "good cause" open data organization. If you spend time contributing to OpenStreetMap you are helping a good cause, and building a geographic database of the world which is free and open for all – forever. Everything in the database is available all around the world.  |
The difference is night and day, and yet many people fail to notice issues around the openness of their data. There is tendency instead to focus on the rendered view of the map, and other "downstream services". While we do have comparable downstream services (see Comparison Google services - OSM) OpenStreetMap is open in a much more fundamental level, and this is surely worth considering for anyone dedicating a lot of time towards contributing.
Leading the Pack
Licensing and ownership aside, many comparisons have been drawn between OSM and Google Map's crowdsourcing. Both projects are attempting to crowdsource geodata from scratch and particularly so in areas of the world hitherto undermapped or even unmapped.
At the time of Google Map Maker's launch OpenStreetMap was comparatively more developed and detailed virtually everywhere in the world with the exception of the United States.
Citing license concerns Google decided not to use OpenStreetMap data and instead launched Map Maker as a rival. We believe that this is a mistake. Projects like OpenStreetMap that have a share-alike policy and open access to the data create a virtuous cycle.
Incompatible Licensing
Unlike OpenStreetMap, Google Maps is not licensed to provide access to the data. Google claims ownership of the aggregated dataset and user contributions may not be shared or used by anyone other than Google themselves.
Data from Google Maps user contribution programmes is therefore incompatible with OpenStreetMap, and OSM users should not copy data from these to OSM nor should OpenStreetMap data be entered into Google Maps.
Developing countries
Initially Google launched Map Maker in a few developing countries and nations for which the large, commercial geodata companies do not have data. They treated India and Pakistan as a large testbed. They also pushed Google Map Maker to humanitarian aid organisations in areas where HOT – the Humanitarian OSM Team – are trying to persuade people to do it the OpenStreetMap way.
Summary
We would encourage users who are considering contributing to Google Maps to contribute their data and knowledge to OpenStreetMap instead. OpenStreetMap is more detailed, growing more quickly and, most importantly, liberally licensed specifically to allow new and creative uses. By making contributions to OpenStreetMap everyone benefits whereas contributions to Google Maps have only limited benefits at best.
In addition, Google offers no guarantee that you will still be able to use its data or services. Many Google services and various APIs change regularly, are replaced by others, or are deleted. Google will not return you full access to the data you have provided through its services and you will not be able to reproduce the equivalent if you want to change the map provider. Any technical assistance will require a limited technical support contract in volume, and more and more expensive if the overly generic first-level response does not respond properly to your initial questioning. Google will never commit to providing you with a service that is not yet in its catalogue and will be able to stop supporting a given solution in the past, to ask you to switch to another and subscribe to an additional option or buy another product in its range.
On the contrary, OpenStreetMap allows the creation of multiple thematic maps with renderings adapted to the applications that need them. It is entirely possible to design a map for your site that meets your needs. In addition you have the choice of technical providers and do not have any obligation to make available any private data necessary for the cards you want to display for your applications. Many providers exist both to develop your application and to host. At any time you can decide to host your solution yourself or change your provider by benefiting from competition, or simultaneously use multiple providers depending on your applications. At any time you can decide to make your data public to work with millions of contributors around the world. At any time you get feedback on the quality of the data you have given, the community being there to constantly improve its accuracy, with collective means that go beyond what an individual alone or most organizations can do that cannot have a presence anywhere. The community also makes sure to use the best open data sources available.
Today OpenStreetMap offers you many providers that can deliver or host your solutions, or help you do so for a particular need. You have the full capacity to negotiate terms with these competing providers. You will not have to buy your own data or lease a license to access it in your organization or for other providers you may be seeking. You will benefit fully from the data contributed on OpenStreetMap by all and for all, and maintained continuously. You can also participate in OpenStreetMap in different ways, both in data, as well as to support its infrastructure for all and to assist in software development and deployment. The OpenStreetMap community also provides immediately accessible, free first-level assistance, which also provides you with training tools and documentation and has local technical contacts in many countries and languages, adapted to different levels of knowledge. She's got you involved in her decisions.
See also
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