Global Contributors, Local Maps: The Story of OpenStreetMap in a Small Town

Abstract. Digital platform capitalism depends on geographic data to connect users with nearby goods and services, thus playing a role in both representing and shaping commercial landscapes. OpenStreetMap (OSM) represents a vast and low-cost geographic data source for platform capitalism; however, OSM is crowdsourced and exhibits uneven development across space, especially in rural areas. OSM researchers have observed that the map is built by a mix of local and remote volunteers, as well as corporate editors paid to identify and fill data gaps; however, deeper place-based inquiries are needed in order to better understand the process by which OSM contributors grow the map and how fully their contributions are actually representing small towns and villages. I model such a case study by using the OSM history files, contributor profile pages, and the geographies of contributor interest to construct “the story of OpenStreetMap” in the small agricultural town of Othello, Washington, USA. In addition to identifying trends in local and corporate mapping activity, I evaluate the map’s completeness by performing a walking survey of Othello’s commercial areas and comparing the visible landscape with the town’s representation in OSM. At small scales, Othello appears data-rich due to contributors who have traced building footprints and road information; however, a substantial percentage of civic and commercial institutions are still missing from the map, especially small businesses. Platforms that use OSM to connect Othello’s residents with commodities or resources may be strengthening the position of national or global chain businesses at the expense of local commerce.