2/17/2026

Overview of Geolocation and GeoGuessr

  • The importance of geolocation:
    • Provides a sense of place.
    • Fosters the skill of noticing environmental details.

Identifying Locations through Geolocation

  • Key questions:
    • What is happening around us?
    • How do we identify the location?
    • How do we notice things?
  • Techniques used:
    • Reverse image searches:
    • Using tools like Google Image Search or AI tools to identify images.
    • Emphasis on artificial intelligence in geolocation tools.
  • Identifying markers:
    • Landscape: Shapes the overall geography of a place.
    • Infrastructure: Bridges, buildings, roads, etc.
    • Language signs: Useful for deciphering cultural locations.
    • Trees: Can indicate climate and season.
    • Coronal location: The direction of light affects how shadows appear, offering clues.
  • Methodology:
    • Compare geolocation tools' results with visual observations.
    • Verify locations using multiple tools for accuracy.

Image Analysis in Geolocation

  • Example of an image:
    • Participants asked to identify characteristics.

Characteristics Noted:

  • River presence: Indicates a body of water nearby.
  • Boat in the image: Serves as a further marker.
  • Bridge: Distinct architectural feature noted.
  • Flags on the bridge:
    • One participant identifies a country flag.
    • Suggestion of Turkey as the country.
  • Distinct buildings identified:
    • Architectural style contributes to the city identification.
  • Discussion of Istanbul:
    • Located by the Bosphorus strait connecting Europe and Asia.
    • Historical context: Formerly known as Constantinople, a key city in the Ottoman Empire.
    • Notable architecture: Identifiable structures referenced.

Second Image Analysis

  • Another image presented:
    • Words on a wall related to Boris Yeltsin, the first Russian president post-Soviet Union.
  • Cyrillic script noticed, indicating a Russian-speaking area.
  • Identification of location:
    • Tallinn, Estonia recognized as the city.

Understanding Data Spheres

  • Definition: Data spheres encompass various online and physical locations that house data.
  • Common examples of data spheres:
    • Google: Main search engine used by many.
    • Large Language Models (LLMs): Tools such as ChatGPT and others.
    • Social media: Platforms serve as data repositories.
    • Libraries: Store vast information and resources.
    • Public records: Contain a wealth of verified data.
    • News archives: Offer historical data and information.
    • Census data: Official demographic, social, and economic data.
    • PACER: Public Access to Court Electronic Records database.
    • WikiLeaks: Repository of classified and restricted documents.

Geolocation Techniques Using AI

  • Use of AI tools for geolocation and data retrieval:
    • Importance of searching data effectively using AI search techniques.
  • Best practices for Google searches:
    • Use of operators to narrow down searches:
    • "Quotation marks" for exact phrases.
    • Use minus (-) to exclude terms. (e.g., apple -fruit to find results that aren't about the fruit).
    • Site colon (site:example.com) to limit search results to specific domains.
    • File type specification (filetype:pdf) to filter search results by file types.
    • Title search (intitle:term) to look for terms specifically in titles.
  • Emphasis on empathy in searches:
    • Understanding the creator's perspective to find relevant resources.
  • Concept of an erased Internet:
    • Refers to content that has been removed from the web, like inactive websites or deleted accounts.

Tools for Accessing Erased Data

  • Examples of services and archives that access erased information:
    • Web Archive: A service that captures snapshots of webpages over time
    • Wayback Machine: Use of this tool to retrieve archived web pages.

Practice with Information Gathering

  • Provided an exercise to find information on an individual named Robert Kaufman.
    • Encouraged utilizing various data spheres for verification.

Verifying Information

  • Verification process of professionals (e.g., architects):
    • Importance of licensing: Each profession requires licensing, which can be verified through a governmental database.
    • The concept of public records and how they can provide credible verification.
  • Reference to Megan's Law Registry:
    • Registry for sex offenders, highlighting the importance of public accountability.
  • Guidance on navigating license searches to confirm credentials.

Conclusion and Game Activity

  • Wrap-up of lesson with the intention to apply learned knowledge in a GeoGuessr game, utilizing the skills developed during the discussion.