Bias in Geographic Information Systems: The Case of Google Maps

Wagner, Ben ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2441-4043 and Winkler, Till ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3944-7390 and Human, Soheil ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1242-206X (2021) Bias in Geographic Information Systems: The Case of Google Maps. In: Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS54), 05.01.2021-08.01.2021, Hawaii, United States/USA.

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Abstract

Users’ perception of geographic space depends heavily on geographic information systems (GIS). GIS are the most common way for users to estimate travel time, provide routing information and recommend appropriate forms of transportation. This article analyses how predictions made by Google Maps, one of the most popular GIS, influence users’ perceptions and travel choices. To analyze this influence, a pre-study in a classroom setting (n=36) as well as an online survey (n=521) were conducted. We study users intuitive perception of travel time, before using the Google Maps Mobile App as a ’treatment’ to see how it influences their perceptions of travel time and choice of transportation type. We then contrast this original Google Maps treatment to a mock-up ’warning label version’ of Google which informs users about biases in Google Maps and an ’unbiased version’ of Google Maps based on ground truth data. Our analysis suggests that Google Maps systematically underestimates necessary car driving time, which has an impact on users’ choice of transportation.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Keywords:	Accountable Mobility, Algorithmic Bias, Geographical Information Systems, GIS, Google Maps, Human-centricity in Information Systems
Divisions:	Departments > Informationsverarbeitung u Prozessmanag. > Wirtschaftsinformatik und Gesellschaft Departments > Informationsverarbeitung u Prozessmanag. > Wirtschaftsinformatik und Neue Medien Departments > Informationsverarbeitung u Prozessmanag. > Wirtschaftsinformatik und Neue Medien > Neumann
Version of the Document:	Accepted for Publication
Variance from Published Version:	Minor
Depositing User:	Soheil Human
Date Deposited:	23 Oct 2020 13:46
Last Modified:	23 Oct 2020 13:46
Related URLs:	Organisation
FIDES Link:	https://bach.wu.ac.at/d/research/results/97039/
URI:	https://epub.wu.ac.at/id/eprint/7801

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