Data analytics is becoming an increasingly important asset, providing valuable insight in various fields of scientific study. One of the data sources are social media, which have gained a significant amount of users in the past few years. The main objective of our final thesis, was to evaluate the potential use of social media as a source of geolocated data. Geodata from social media, has tremendous potential in understanding both physical and social aspects of our world. By mapping it, we can provide valuable insight of various processes. The thesis will also outline the evolution of mapping. We will explain how basic analogue maps evolved into interactive Web 2.0-based maps. Furthermore, we define the fundamentals, which have had a significant contribution on the rise of social media. The convergence of global positioning technology, combined with the rapid advancement in the field of mobile telecommunication paved to way to the integration of GNSS technology in smart phones. Concurrently, the technological innovations brought to us by Web 2.0, have redefined the way we use the internet. Technology provided the basis for emerging platforms, that enable user interaction, which led us to vast amounts of content, such as photographs, videos etc. Today, every smartphone user becomes a data generator, creating immense amounts of digital footsteps. We evaluated the method by reviewing four academic papers from diverse geographical fields, including: crisis management in case of natural disasters, flood-mapping, tourist flow analysis and evaluating the aesthetic value of ecosystem services.
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