The Open Street Map project starts in 2004 as a global, networked, and collaborative project that intends to create a free and open map of the world. Following the open source model, OSM has not only generated an extensive amount of geographical data by the collaborative work of thousands of volunteer members, but also has created a global community and several local groups of practitioners. Because all the maps and data produced by OSM community are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 licence (CC-BY-SA), they are free and open to anyone who wants to use it. That fact has allowed the use of OSM's data sets and maps in rescue emergencies, storytelling, data mashups, and other creative, productive, and alternative applications. In this research paper I plan to study the OSM project as an exemplary form of alternative media which embraces the ideas and principles of the open source movement and culture. The major research question is if the OSM project can be considered a form of alternative media. The secondary questions are related to the kind of open source community and practices developed in the OSM. What are those kind of practices? I imagine a structuring the research paper around 4 sections: 1. Embracing "openness." Aligning with the philosophy of the open source movement and culture. 2. Mapping as a subversive and alternative practice. 3. Collaborative practices. Local community groups and global community. 4. Practical applications and projects. Promoting action. 4.1. Haiti earthquake crisis : volunteers generating data of an unmapped country. USed by rescue teams. 4.2. Atlanta Citywide Mapathon http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/WikiProject_Haiti contrary to proprietary geographical data-sets, the data created by OSM is available for free to anyone who wanted to use them. OSM started in 2004 with the goal of creating a free and open map of the world. OSM follows the open source model of collaborative production attempt to create a free, user-generated map of the world. people now use free maps online or on their phones Detailed information of a place. From streets, to cycle paths, to hiking trails, to park benches, stores, and even threes. Maps can be used for telling stories. Open data The premise is simple and powerful: Anyone can use the data, and anyone can help improve it. OSM data to make their own maps. Alternative to proprietary geographical data sets. digital geo-data providers PRactical examples of using OSM as alternative media : Haiti earthqake The community of OSM talks about liberating, freeing the cartographical information of the planet earth. There are communities for different countries of the world community groups: MappingDC is a group organized around producing high quality Free (as in Freedom) maps of Washington, DC and the areas surrounding it. We accomplish this mainly through Mapping Parties, talks and community presentations. engaging with local communities mapping parties. community activism as mapping. community-driven scheme different ways of tracking information and get it into the system : gps, pen and paper and scanning. early contributers use gps and tracking software that they upload to the system people adds the data to the system motivation : blanc spaces in a map beyond creating free versions of what already exists principles of the community and model :wiki : collaborative user-generated maps >>> ways of gathering information and use it for creating something new raise awareness, promote action, social change? have potential for it? practical uses of the maps and data for activism, storytellling could be used in a campaign as a tool >> 1. Embracing "openness." Aligning with the philosophy of the open source movement and culture. 2. Mapping as a subversive and alternative practice. 3. Collaborative practices. Community groups. A global community. Applying the 4. Practical applications and projects. Using OSM. Action movements. 4.1. Haiti earthquake crisis : volunteers generating data of an unmapped country. USed by rescue teams. http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/WikiProject_Haiti 4.2. Atlanta Citywide Mapathon 4.3. United Kingdom National Cycle Network 4.4. ********************************* MappingDC is a group organized around producing high quality Free (as in Freedom) maps of Washington, DC and the areas surrounding it. We accomplish this mainly through Mapping Parties, talks and community presentations.