226 Big Data: Techniques and Technologies in Geoinformatics
Big geosocial data therefore offer us a new lens to study human systems.
Traditional geographical analysis of human systems often focused on large-scale
studies of population aggregates, remotely sensed imagery, or on small-scale stud-
ies of small groups of individuals. This was dictated by data availability limita-
tions, as census, satellites, and individual interviews were the only practical means
available to collect information on societal aspects and their distribution in space.
These limitations kept us from getting a ne resolution and extensive coverage view
of societal issues, problems, trends, etc. Similar to the progress that the invention
of the microscope brought to bi ...