Data Intermediation and Beyond: How the Web Modifies the Dissemination of GIS Information

As the prominent telecommunication medium, the Internet has four special features making it especially useful to improve PPGIS: low costs of entry, efficient data transfer, interactivity and connectivity. In developing InfoResources West Philadelphia project on an Internet platform, the authors experienced several developments that will shape the future direction of PPGIS. First, the Internet allows the development of a cluster of web sites each accommodating the special needs and technical capacity of users. Second, the interactivity technology forces providers to choose dynamic or static mode of data delivery and such choice greatly determines who will be left out. Third, the Internet greatly expands the data scope. It allows the inclusion of non-GIS data and qualitative information in a single web site, provide an efficient channel for data providers to share and present information, and promote users to develop their community information web sites. Fourth, as the Internet facilitates data collaboration among users and providers, it strengthens the community support and expands utilization. In turn, it promotes participation and highlights the social value of PPGIS in community development. Using the Internet, however, cannot resolve all the issues in PPGIS because a technological fix never addresses social and structural issues that impede the general users in participating in community development and PPGIS. The Internet will not make a resident use GIS nor help the providers understand the data needs of users. Advanced web applications may create additional barriers against the general public while technology cannot replace trust and committed partnership to build community support for PPGIS. The Internet is extremely fluid. In particular, the information quality and the conventional relationships between users and providers will change because the emerging community information networks will be increasingly supported by indigenous web