The same is true for lower income families and disabled persons for a number of social and systematic reasons. Activities like climbing, hiking, and camping often saw limited participation or representation from minority communities. Historically, outdoor activities have not had equal participation. For many, the answer comes down to keeping public lands and nature accessible to all. The Case For GeotaggingĪfter reading all that, one might wonder why some might still end up in favor of geotagging as a practice. The problem with geotags might not be that they contain too much information, but rather that they don't contain enough information. This can include moving too close to the edge of a sudden drop, or not maintaining a safe distance between oneself and an agitated animal. There is a small but growing amount of reported injuries and even fatalities that stem from people putting themselves in harm’s way for a better image. There have been reported cases of poachers tracking endangered animal whereabouts through secondhand information, collecting GPS locations from social media posts by safari-goers.Īdditionally, there is the threat that the appetite for social media friendly images poses to visitors themselves. One is the way geotagging may unintentionally aid animal poachers. There are a few other less-obvious threats posed by geotags. Tagging a more general location like an entire national park, a river, or a town rather than a specific site. This approach reflects one compromise reached by a number of online outdoor lovers. The Jackson Hole Tourism Board recently introduced a new geotag to the area, simply called: “Tag Responsibly, Keep Jackson Hole Wild.” Clicking the tag would lead to arbitrary GPS coordinates just along a freeway north of Jackson. The inability of infrastructure to keep pace of demand created a risk for both wildlife and hikers, as a number of injuries occurred along the steep hike. Now, that number has skyrocketed to around 150. One unofficial trail in Grand Teton National Park going towards Delta Lake would have seen about 20 hikers a day back in 2012. It’s hard to argue that certain sites would be as impacted if not for Instagram, Facebook, and the like. If these places are so overburdened by the rush of visitors drawn in by geotags, then don’t use them. By preventing a natural wonder from becoming a viral sensation, we can keep the flow of visitors to a more sustainable amount. The case against geotagging is simple enough. Is it really all to blame? There’s plenty of debate around the answer to that question. Some have more specifically blamed the practice of geotagging, or marking photos with the specific location coordinates of a site. The appeal of a vibrantly colored square of nature on one’s Instagram feed lures visitors by the thousand. What’s behind the rush to see these places? Social media, according to many. The town’s mayor labeled the weekend a “poppy apocalypse.” The population of which is barely above 60,000. A dazzling “superbloom” of wildflowers led about 100,000 visitors to descend on the small Southern California town of Lake Elsinore. Horseshoe Bend sees about 1.5 million visitors per year, a drastic increase from the 1990’s when about 2,000 visitors would come by. So much, in fact that these places are beginning to feel the burden of overcrowding. Today, however, these places get visitors by the droves. A visit would’ve been a chance to escape into solitude while admiring these natural spectacles.Īctually, it wasn’t that long ago. It seems like not long ago, these places were under-the-radar beauties for outdoor adventurers. The Happy Boulders in Bishop, California.
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