Evaluating current ethical values of OpenStreetMap using value sensitive design

Abstract

The crowdsourced OpenStreetMap mapping platform is utilized by countless stakeholders worldwide for various purposes and applications. Individuals, researchers, governments, commercial, and humanitarian organizations, in addition to the engineers, professionals, and technical developers, use OpenStreetMap both as data contributors and consumers. The storage, usage, and integration of volunteered geographical data in software applications often create complex ethical dilemmas and values regarding the relationships between different categories of stakeholders. It is therefore common for moral preferences of stakeholders to be neglected. This paper investigates the integration of ethical values in OpenStreetMap using the value sensitive design methodology that examines technical, empirical, and conceptual aspects at each design stage. We use the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, an existing volunteered geographic information initiative, as a case study. Our investigation shows that although OpenStreetMap does integrate ethical values in its organizational structure, a deeper understanding of its direct and indirect stakeholders’ perspectives is still required. This study is expected to assist organizations that contribute to or use OpenStreetMap in recognizing and preserving existing and important ethical values. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to evaluate ethical values methodically and comprehensively in the design process of the OpenStreetMap platform.