Beyond SDI – Maria Brovelli (Politecnico di Milano)

More than that of SDI, I like the horizontal concept of the free and open geospatial web, where every actor (public, private, community, citizen, etc.) can contribute with their data and software and, in turn, reuse the available data and software. I am expecting the states to make this geospatial web existing and working under the condition of ensuring us (the people and living beings of this Earth) going toward a condition of more freedom and happiness, safeguarding the environment. 

The amount of data collected by sensors is impressive and incomparable with the past, thanks to initiatives like the European Copernicus one. The higher level of literacy of people coupled with the new technologies and the augmented leisure expand the frontiers of science and public engagement.   Artificial intelligence for good helps us surf, dig and interpret data for extracting local and global knowledge.

The only risk I see is that of making a wrong step and going toward a society of control. Participation, co-creation, openness, and freedom is the way of avoiding entering the totalitarian nightmare. That is the reason why I do not simply want a geospatial web but one that is free and open.