Off-Topic? Microsoft's New "Avoid Ghetto" App

Wed Jan 11 11:09:39 EST 2012

Seems like, if one were inclined in a slightly more sinister direction, one could also find a criminal application for the app.  It could be used to find areas where crime has not been reported - since the 'unsafe' areas are based on reports - and then potentially target those areas?  Not much play on that aspect in the media at this point.

-Matthew

------------------------------
Matthew Collins, PhD, MLIS
mscolli at emory.edu
-----------------------------

From: Web technologies in libraries [mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Shannon E. Fox
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 10:49 AM
To: WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Subject: Re: [WEB4LIB] Off-Topic? Microsoft's New "Avoid Ghetto" App

Microsoft did not name the app "Avoid Ghetto." That's what people responding to the app have termed it. But I haven't located what they plan to call it. http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2012/01/microsoft_avoid_ghetto_app_windows_phone.html

Shannon

From: Web technologies in libraries [mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU]<mailto:[mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU]> On Behalf Of Robert Balliot
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 7:09 PM
To: WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU<mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU>
Subject: Re: [WEB4LIB] Off-Topic? Microsoft's New "Avoid Ghetto" App

Norma / Malakia -

I imagine that the MS marketing department calculated that the valuable viral leverage they would get by calling the AP  "Avoid Ghetto"  outweighed the perceived cost of appearing insensitive.

As of right now, for the exact phrase "Avoid Ghetto"

  *   past 24 hours 72,100 results in Google,
  *   past week 293,000,
  *   past month 456,00
So, being nasty sells by creation tension and conversation.

It seems that you could generate something similar fairly easily by combining GPS with the publicly available FBI-Uniform Crime Reports and  Census Data.
--
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On Tue, Jan 10, 2012 at 7:07 PM, Norma Jean Hewlett <hewlett at usfca.edu<mailto:hewlett at usfca.edu>> wrote:
I'm afraid this is kind of off topic for Web4Lib. It concerns Internet
technology, but I don't see any direct relevance to libraries. Except
perhaps for libraries in one of the areas that are flagged as
"ghetto."

I'm totally shocked by the "avoid ghetto" description, but quite okay
with the concept. I've walked and driven through a number of areas
where I really wished I'd had advance warning about what to expect or
avoid.

My daughter and I were talking about this yesterday. She pointed out
that even though she dislikes this use of "ghetto" to mean "unsafe,"
she had used it recently when describing an area to friends. We also
wondered whether the neighborhood we live in - a quiet family
neighborhood on the edge of a rather bad one - might be included in
the "avoid ghetto" recommendations.

Jean Hewlett
Librarian, Santa Rosa Campus
University of San Francisco

On Tue, Jan 10, 2012 at 10:51 AM, Malakia Oglesby
<moglesby at asburyparklibrary.org<mailto:moglesby at asburyparklibrary.org>> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
>
>
> I don't mean to stir up any more controversy than it's already getting. but.
>
> have you guys heard about Microsoft's new patent for a GPS app being
> casually called "Avoid Ghetto"?
>
>
>
> --SNIP--
>
>
>
> "A new technology designed to help pedestrians avoid bad neighborhoods has
> plenty of smartphone users up in arms."
>
>
>
> "And "what if someone using a route from this system does get mugged, shot,
> assaulted, or robbed?" wonders Chris Matyszczyk at CNET. "Would they feel
> entitled to sue Microsoft because the route was supposed to be
> 'ghetto-free'?"
>
>
>
> --SNIP--
>
>
>
> Here's the link:
>
>
>
> http://theweek.com/article/index/223122/microsofts-avoid-ghetto-app-racist
>
>
>
> My opinion:  While I understand the need and concern for safety I can't help
> but think there's a better way to approach it.  Also, last I heard people do
> get "mugged, shot, assaulted, or robbed" in areas not labeled "ghetto".  I'm
> not certain that I can go so far as to call it racist, but I'm certainly
> disappointed in Microsoft and the Gates'.
>
>
>
> Just my two-cents,
>
>
>
> Malakia
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________
>
> Malakia Oglesby, MIS
>
> Asbury Park Public Library
>
> 500 First Avenue
>
> Asbury Park, NJ  07712
>
> Phone: (732) 774-4221<tel:%28732%29%20774-4221>
>
> Fax: (732) 988-6101<tel:%28732%29%20988-6101>
>
> Web:  http://www.asburyparklibrary.org<http://www.asburyparklibrary.org/>
>
> Email: moglesby at asburyparklibrary.org<mailto:moglesby at asburyparklibrary.org>
>
> ------------------------------------------------
>
> "I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library." - Jorge
> Luis Borges
>
>
>
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> 2012-01-10

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