Re: [OSM-talk] Announcing State of the Map 2024: Join us in Nairobi and online on 6-8 September 2024!

[Aimee Knight]

Dear Federica et al,

While I understand the challenges that were faced in selecting a venue for
the 2023 conference and the subsequent need to reschedule, I am troubled by
the choice of host country for the 2024 event. I firmly believe in the
importance of ensuring that the SotM conference is accessible and welcoming
to all members of our global community. The decision to host the conference
in a country that criminalizes LGBTQ+ individuals, such as Kenya, raises
significant ethical concerns.

It is my understanding that the OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF) has
established policies that prioritize inclusivity and respect for human
rights. The recent crackdown on LGBTQ+ rights in Kenya and other countries
in the region is well-documented [1][2][3], and this goes against the
principles of inclusivity that the OSMF stands for.

By choosing a host country where a significant portion of our community
would face the risk of imprisonment and discrimination due to their sexual
orientation or gender identity, we risk alienating and excluding valued
contributors who would otherwise seek to attend the SotM conference. It is
essential to remember that the strength of OpenStreetMap lies in its
diverse and global community, and we should strive to create an environment
that is safe and respectful for all.

I kindly request that the SotM Organising Committee provide a clear and
transparent explanation for the decision to host the conference in Kenya.
It is essential for the community to understand the rationale behind this
decision, especially in light of the potential impact on LGBTQ+
contributors and other participants who may not feel comfortable or safe
attending the conference in such a location.

Furthermore, I urge the committee to reconsider the choice of host country
for the 2024 SotM conference. While I understand that logistical and
financial factors must be taken into account, I believe it is possible to
find alternative venues that align with the OSMF's commitment to
inclusivity and human rights.

I share the concerns of many in the OpenStreetMap community regarding this
issue, and I sincerely hope that the SotM Organising Committee will listen
to these concerns and take them into serious consideration.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. I look forward to a
productive and open dialogue about the future of the State of the Map
conference.

Sincerely,

Aimee Knight
OSM: speedbirdsunflower

[1] "Why are Kenya and Uganda cracking down on LGBTQ+ rights?" - Al
Jazeera, March 23, 2023
[2] "Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan pass anti-homosexuality laws" - PinkNews,
June 23, 2023
[3] Equaldex: LGBTQ+ rights in Kenya (https://www.equaldex.com/region/kenya)


*Aimee - speedbirdsunflower*
OSM Profile <https://www.openstreetmap.org/user/speedbirdsunflower> and Wiki
Profile <https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/User:Speedbirdsunflower>


On Mon, 14 Aug 2023 at 19:01, Federica Gaspari 
wrote:

> Dear all,
>
>
>
> Get ready to meet and connect with old and new mappy friends from the
> global OpenStreetMap community again!
>
>
>
> The State of the Map Organising Committee is thrilled to officially
> announce that the global conference of the OpenStreetMap community, State
> of the Map (SotM), will be making its way to Nairobi, Kenya from September
> 6th-8th 2024! This landmark event will bring together passionate mappers,
> data enthusiasts, technologists, and community members from all corners of
> the globe to celebrate the spirit of collaboration and open mapping.
>
>
>
> Following the good feedback for State of the Map 2022 Firenze, the
> upcoming State of the Map 2024 will once again be held in a hybrid format.
> Building on the valuable lessons and experiences from the previous events,
> the SotM Organising Committee is committed to making this edition even more
> accessible to everyone who wishes to partake in this grand celebration of
> open mapping, sharing passionate voices with the entire community.
>
>
>
> Learn more about the SotM 2024 announcement on the OpenStreetMap blog: 
> https://blog.openstreetmap.org/2023/08/14/announcing-state-of-the-map-2024-september-6-to-8-2024-join-us-in-nairobi-and-online/
>
>
>
> More details about the organization will be soon communicated.
>
>
>
> Federica Gaspari on behalf of the SotM Organising Committee
>
>
> ___
> talk mailing list
> talk@openstreetmap.org
> https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk
>
___
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https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk

Re: [OSM-talk] mapilio? (street-level imagery)

[Aimee Knight]

Hello,

>From following some links on their website, I would believe Tom's belief to
be correct, as looking at the Mapilio GitHub repos (
https://github.com/orgs/mapilio/repositories), the ones that are starred
are mostly starred by users from Turkey, including one who mentions being
involved with Visiosoft. They are however formally registered as a UK
Company (
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/13870355)
so if they are improperly contacting users, I would suggest after trying to
reach out to them, if there is no reply, then you can go through the ICO (
https://ico.org.uk/)

Personally from looking at their website and GitHub, I wouldn't trust this
company to handle data as it's not clear what they are actually collecting
and doing with the data. It all seems very vague.

*Aimee - speedbirdsunflower*
OSM Profile  and Wiki
Profile 


On Wed, 24 May 2023 at 20:47, David Haberthür 
wrote:

> Ciao a tutti
>
> > On 24 May 2023, at 14:31, Greg Troxel  wrote:
> >
> > I am curious if anyone
> >  - thinks my assessment of the fundamentals is off
>
> In my opinion not far off at all.
> I’ve tried out their app and immediately noticed some issues:
> - The (Mapbox) map they’re using in the (iOS app) didn’t attribute
> OpenStreetMap ([1], since fixed)
> - Processing a short sequence of 100 images [2] took nearly two weeks and
> several question/messages on their Discord server
> - Two emails sent to their main email were never answered; I’ve notified
> them that in their "Open data with Mapilio” linking to
> https://mapilio.com/openstreetmap they speak of OpenstreetMap (without
> capital S).
> - Their blog post about how to contribute is pure marketing speak and no
> essence.
> - They have a big GDPR page at https://mapilio.com/gdpr, but don’t seem
> to see the ‘export' part of the data very seriously [3]
>
> Greetings from Switzerland,
> Habi
>
> [1]:
> http://forum.mapilio.com/t/how-does-mapilio-contribute-to-openstreetmap/113/2
> [2]: At the moment, the only one in Switzerland at https://mapilio.com/app
> [3]: https://forum.mapilio.com/t/request-data-export/116/
> ___
> talk mailing list
> talk@openstreetmap.org
> https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk
>
___
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