this post was submitted on 02 Feb 2024
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I don't see how it is a map's duty to rank areas like this.
Can you imagine the knock-on effects of some places being decided as being "bad" by Google?
Businesses would collapse, the area worsen, crime and poverty increase, the people who live there would have a collapse in house prices, so they'd be trapped there.
Meanwhile, in the "good" areas, businesses would do better, property prices would be driven up more than they are already, and long term only the wealthy would be able to live there.
Not to mention the whole issue of "X place has been ranked as bad and it has predominantly Y ethnicity or Z religion living there! This is a hate crime by Google!"
People should be aware that South Africa in general is a dangerous place with a high crime rate, particularly violent crime.
17 people per 100k get stabbed to death, compared to 0.6 for the US, 0.2 for France, and 0.08 for the UK. That's insane.
Homicide in general is 41.9 people per 100k (3rd highest worldwide). Compared to 6.4 in the US, 1.1 in France, 1.0 in the UK.
Personally, South Africa is a place to avoid. Particularly because tourists especially are targeted by criminals.
It's amazing how systemic racism can destroy a country. Speaking as someone from the US.
Apparently Google stopped routing people through Nyanga a few months ago https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-11-13-google-maps-will-no-longer-direct-visitors-through-cape-town-township-after-attacks-on-motorists/
They wouldn't need to label them as bad to inform users. It's possible to display crime statistics without bias.
Except that still has the same effect and simply amplifies the result of shitty policies.
That would still entrench the area - How would a change of bad to good reflect on google maps? How quickly would that change show up?
Crime statistics come preloaded with systemic bias for your convenience.