Crisis Mapping

During the election protests in Iran and the terrorist attacks on Mumbai, Twitter became a crucial tool for getting news out quickly. In other crises, like the 2007 election riots in Kenya or the 2008 unrest in the Gaza Strip, text messages and satellite imagery helped broadcast developments in real time. Non-profit and humanitarian groups are now laying that data over maps, to detect patterns in violence and target aid.

Here to discuss the growing use of “crisis mapping” is Patrick Meier, one of the leaders in the field. He recently co-founded the International Network of Crisis Mappers.

Utne Reader: Mapping the Crisis

IRevolution.com: "Applying Technology to Crisis Mapping and Early Warning in Humanitarian Settings"

(Photo by robinhamman via Flickr/Creative Commons)