Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-2017
Publication Title
Media, Culture & Society
Volume
39
Issue
4
Publisher
Sage
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443717698871
Abstract
Location-based services are mobile applications that use a device’s location to provide relevant results. Spatial search applications are a popular subset of location-based services that enable people to search through their surrounding space to find nearby locations. This article examines spatial search applications through a framework that combines critical geography research with research on the power search engines exert over information visibility. The main argument of the article is that popular spatial search applications, such as Yelp, may subtly reproduce existing forms of spatial segregation by rendering certain location invisible through the mobile mapping interface.
Recommended Citation
Frith, J. (2017). Invisibility through the interface: the social consequences of spatial search. Media, Culture & Society, 39(4), 536–551. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443717698871