The city in the age of web 2.0 a newsynergisticrelationship between place and people

Abstract

This paper examines how the development of Web 2.0 resources is providing new ways of seeing, experiencing and understanding the city. A particular focus is on the increasing role of user-generated geolocational data and the opportunities this affords to reimagine and experience the metropolis. It is suggested that the social and commercial nature of Web 2.0 resources together with the availability of government-owned data frame consequent opportunities to re-map the city. It is shown that blogs and mashups based on such material allow the metropolis to be depicted and experienced. Mobile technologies act as a conduit for such information that is configured for and around the individual user. It is argued that this generates a new ‘synergistic relationship’ linking individuals to data and localities they occupy or traverse.