# Mapathon
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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mapathon
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{{Short description|Collaborative mapping event}}
A '''mapathon''' (sometime written '''map-a-thon''') is a coordinated mapping event and a kind of [editathon](/source/edit-a-thon). The public is invited to make online map improvements in their local area to improve coverage and to help [disaster risk assessment](/source/Disaster_risk_reduction) and [energy management](/source/energy_management).{{Citation needed|reason=Source for functions/purposes of mapathons?|date=June 2021}}
Mapathons use an online site for storing map data, such as [OpenStreetMap](/source/OpenStreetMap). [Google Maps](/source/Google_Maps) was also an option until 2017. A mapathon is organized by a respective organization or a [non-profit organisation](/source/non-profit_organisation) or local government.
Mapathons are often held inside (armchair mapping) in a room with strong [Wi-Fi](/source/Wi-Fi) for simultaneous access, assisted by [satellite imagery](/source/satellite_imagery).[{{cite web|url=http://www.missingmaps.org/host/|title=Hosting a Mapathon|access-date=October 30, 2016}}] Mapathons can also be an outside activity with online simultaneous map editing assisted by [global positioning system](/source/global_positioning_system) trackers on mobile devices.
== History ==
thumb|Missing maps mapathon events distribution for November, 2016. Image by OpenStreetMap and Missing Maps.
In 2009, in [Atlanta](/source/Atlanta), the capital of the US state of [Georgia](/source/Georgia_(U.S._state)), [United States](/source/United_States), about 200 volunteers walked around the city with [GPS](/source/GPS)-enabled devices and expanded [OpenStreetMap](/source/OpenStreetMap).[{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8305924.stm|title=US city to start giant 'mapathon'|publisher=BBC News|date=October 14, 2009|access-date=October 30, 2016}}]
Google Mapathon was an annual event organized by [Google](/source/Google) that invited the public to make improvements to [Google Maps](/source/Google_Maps), through the [Google Map Maker](/source/Google_Map_Maker). Google Map Maker was officially shut down on March 31, 2017.[{{Cite web|title=Google Map Maker has closed - Map Maker Help|url=https://support.google.com/mapmaker/answer/7195127|access-date=2021-08-29|website=support.google.com}}]
In February and March, 2013, in [India](/source/India), volunteers mapped local areas on Google Maps. The prizes included [Samsung Galaxy Note](/source/Samsung_Galaxy_Note) tablets.[{{Cite web|title=Mapathon 2013: Join Google In Creating Better Maps for India|url=https://india.googleblog.com/2013/02/mapathon-2013-join-google-in-creating.html|access-date=2021-08-29|website=Official Google India Blog|language=en}}] Some locals, including the competition winner Vishal Saini, mapped sensitive military installations in [Pathankot](/source/Pathankot). In March 2013, a right-wing [Bharatiya Janata Party](/source/Bharatiya_Janata_Party) [member of parliament](/source/member_of_parliament) Tarun Vijay told authorities that mapping the area was against India's national map policy. Delhi police investigated the incident. [Survey of India](/source/Survey_of_India), an Indian government mapping agency, contacted Google. Google responded by denying the claim and asserting that the mapping was legal.[{{cite web|url=http://www.popsci.com.au/tech/computing/how-googles-mapathon-may-have-compromised-indias-national-security,390446|title=How Google's Mapathon May Have Compromised India's National Security|date=July 30, 2014|access-date=October 30, 2016|publisher=Australian Popular Science|archive-date=April 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412011011/http://www.popsci.com.au/tech/computing/how-googles-mapathon-may-have-compromised-indias-national-security,390446|url-status=dead}}][{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/google-didnt-take-permission-for-mapathon/article4648589.ece|title=Google didn't take permission for Mapathon|website=[The Hindu](/source/The_Hindu)|date=April 24, 2013|access-date=October 30, 2016}}][{{cite web|url=http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/why-is-googles-mapathon-in-hot-waters-in-india-all-you-need-to-know-228810.html|title=Why is Google's Mapathon in hot waters in India? All you need to know|date=August 12, 2014|publisher=tech2|access-date=October 30, 2016|archive-date=February 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170209183644/http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/why-is-googles-mapathon-in-hot-waters-in-india-all-you-need-to-know-228810.html|url-status=dead}}] In January 2016, following an attack on the military structures in Pathankot, the [Delhi High Court](/source/Delhi_High_Court) ruled Google to appear in Court in February, but did not make any rulings restricting Google from continuing to host the map data online.[{{cite web|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/indian-defence-installations-on-google-maps-hc-asks-govt-to-look-into-it/195126/|title=Indian defense installations on Google maps: HC asks govt to look into it|date=January 15, 2016|access-date=October 30, 2016|publisher=[The Financial Express (India)](/source/The_Financial_Express_(India))}}]
In May 2015, after a 7.9 earthquake in [Nepal](/source/Nepal), online volunteers expanded the map of Nepal for two weeks. They mapped 4,000 mapping volunteers have edited 91,951 times, 29,798 segments of road and 243,500 buildings, and also expanded maps of Botswana and Philippines. The project was supported by MapGive and by the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team.[{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2015/05/28/citizen-cartographers-unite-report-first-white-house-mapathon|title=Citizen Cartographers Unite: Report from the First White House Mapathon|date=28 May 2015|author=Megan Smith |author2=Mikel Maron |via=[National Archives](/source/NARA)|work=[whitehouse.gov](/source/whitehouse.gov)|access-date=October 30, 2016}}][{{cite web|url=http://blogs.state.gov/stories/2015/05/08/want-help-nepal-volunteer-mappers-can-make-difference#|title=Want To Help Nepal? Volunteer Mappers Can Make A Difference|date=May 8, 2015|author=Benson Wilder and Mikel Maron|publisher=U.S. Department of State|access-date=October 30, 2016}}]
In May 2015, at a [White House](/source/White_House) event celebrating citizen's [cartography](/source/cartography), about 80 volunteers edited and added more than 400 roads and 1,000 buildings in OpenStreetMap. The volunteers added [power outage](/source/power_outage) information on 152 utilities, and mapped US parks.[{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/volunteers-map-the-planets-remote-areas-for-aid-workers/|title=Volunteers Map Some of the Earth's Most Remote Areas to Help Aid Workers|date=February 16, 2016|access-date=October 30, 2016}}]
In the same month, February 2016, Missing Maps also organized a mapathon in [Grenoble](/source/Grenoble) to map Tsangano district, [Tete](/source/Tete%2C_Mozambique), [Mozambique](/source/Mozambique) to help a local conflict between the country main party and the opposition. The Grenoble Missing Maps mapathon photos are included below.
Mapathon Missing Maps 20160223 Grenoble 01.jpg
Mapathon Missing Maps 20160223 Grenoble 04.jpg
Mapathon Missing Maps 20160223 Grenoble 06.jpg
==References==
{{reflist}}
Category:Cartographers
Category:Hacker culture
Category:Internet slang
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mapathon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mapathon) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mapathon?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.