New Microsoft Travel App Stirs Controversy
"Ghetto alert" app helps tourists avoid trouble spots
!["Ghetto alert" app helps tourists avoid trouble spots](http://www.eturbonews.com/files/imagecache/fullpage/0a8_1542.jpg ""Ghetto alert" app helps tourists avoid trouble spots")
Travelers wandering around foreign cities could soon be given an instant warning if they stray towards dangerous areas with a new GPS feature developed by Microsoft.
The recently-approved patent uses the latest crime statistics and weather data to work out a route that would help tourists avoid trouble spots.
"As a pedestrian travels, various difficulties can be encountered, such as travelling through an unsafe neighbourhood or being in an open area that is subject to harsh temperatures," the patent states.
Dubbed the "avoid ghetto" feature, it could be used in smartphone apps and in-car navigation units in the future.
However there are concerns the feature may hurt the reputation and economies of the "problem areas" it urges tourists to avoid, according to the Washington Post.
It has also raised eyebrows from the tech community.
"What is unclear, at least from my reading of the patent - which isn’t written by anything resembling a human hand or mind - is what kind of crime statistics the GPS might choose to use," Chris Matyszczyk of CNET said.
Comments
There is a need for identifying areas of problems for visiting foreign tourists. The government supplied Travel Advisories do provide some guidance, however they are more of a warning system versus "Do Not Go There" - The responsibility of the travel and tourism indsutry is to advise of the safety issues of destinationas.
Of course what is safe and where it is dangerous within a given metropolitan area, or beachs, or any "walkable" area would be or is enourmous task.
The Microsoft Ghetto patented concept is a good beginning, however it is an issue that the industry should work on and make it part of its development responsibility to bring it to a usable and practical level for front-line agents and tour operators to utilize as to recommneds or formulating itineraries.
We launched a "Safemap" (using Google Maps) that could be accessed on any smartphone, tablet or PC for (primarily) tourists visiting South Africa last year. www.mukaranga.com.
From my experience I don't think it's something a company with a valuable brand and PR to think about should involve itself in. We were small so could afford to take a subjective, undiplomatic view of where is 'safe' or 'unsafe'. We tried to gather crime stats but these are unfortunately not published with geo-data in South Africa. We tried to gain input from South African Tourism authorities but - despite the fact that their own stats state the fear of crime is the #1 reason long-haul travellers don't visit SA - to no avail. Afraid to offend politicians who bankroll them and their voting constituents, and I understand why.
I would be very surprised if Microsoft put their name behind the actual decision criteria / content to say where is a ghetto. Surely they will only create the platform for other 3rd parties to exploit?
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