Only You Can Help Digital Maps

With an array of mapping technologies, satellite images, and aerial photos, map and local sites under the purview of Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and AOL still need the kind of information only local users can provide. Search engines have long made their living off other people's content, exchanging access to an algorithm that finds their sites when relevant to a search for the indexing that takes place. Now that the battle for lucrative local advertising dollars has moved online, the big four need to outdo each other with content. And as before, that content will come from users, an AP report foot directions as an option for its UK-based Local site, so it should be something the others could implement as well. Email the author Del.icio.us") | Yahoo My Web David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.