Use Cases for the CrowdNewsroom Atlas

Interactive map views are already being used by numerous organizations and projects for their initiatives – whether for member mapping, crowd investigations, or presenting information. Below, we present a few examples that show how the CrowdNewsroom Atlas can be used. Let yourself be inspired and discover how you can use the Atlas for your own projects.

Crowd Investigations by CORRECTIV

Watch out, school route!

As part of the campaign “Watch Out, School Route!”, Beobachter and CORRECTIV CrowdNewsroom documented where children face dangerous spots on their way to school – with the help of the public. For this, the Atlas feature of the CrowdNewsroom was used, allowing people to mark danger zones directly on the interactive map.

The campaign was carried out in Switzerland and several German cities. In Cologne alone, readers reported over 1,300 dangerous school routes within just three weeks.

Learn more about the campaign

Barrier Alert! Where do you face obstacles in everyday life?

Another crowd investigation using the CrowdNewsroom Atlas was conducted by CORRECTIV Switzerland and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. The goal was to gather insights from the public about where barriers and obstacles exist in everyday life. The data was collected using the Atlas feature. The aim of the investigation was to identify and visualize these barriers, uncover underlying issues and connections, and ultimately encourage political action.

Click here to access the CrowdNewsroom Atlas.

Here you can find more information about the investigation.

You can find more crowd investigations carried out with the CrowdNewsroom Atlas here.

Third Spaces Map by The Green Line

The Green Line is a community-based local media outlet from Toronto, Canada, that sees itself as a guide to navigating life in the city. Together with the community, the outlet created the Third Spaces Map – an interactive map of popular gathering spots where people enjoy spending time.

The map highlights “third spaces” – places outside of home and work – such as cafés, bars, community centers, theaters, and even hiking trails. The team at The Green Line visited and rated many of these locations based on factors like atmosphere, value for money, comfort, and accessibility via public transit. Users can filter the map by category to find suitable places to meet up.

You can find more information here.

Bicycle Collision Tracker by Dublin Inquirer

As early as 2015, the community-based outlet Dublin Inquirer launched the Bicycle Collision Tracker project to record bicycle accidents in the city. While the Road Safety Authority collects some data on bike crashes, information about minor collisions that cyclists experience in everyday life is often missing. The goal was to find out whether these smaller accidents tend to happen repeatedly in the same locations — and which areas might need redesigning to improve cyclist safety. The public was invited to mark bicycle accidents on an interactive map and complete a short questionnaire.

Since then, the outlet has continued to run similar projects in collaboration with its readers.

You can find more information about the project here.

Community Spaces by More in Common

More in Common explored the potential of everyday public spaces for fostering social encounters. The goal was to better understand how civil society actors can engage as many different social groups as possible in their work. The analysis shows that people with very different values and beliefs regularly come across one another in the same public places — such as supermarkets, cafés, or shopping centers.

Click here to read the study.

For local media, too, it is essential to engage with the public and actively listen. The Listening Post Collective from the U.S. even recommends that local newsrooms create a map of their area highlighting such everyday spaces. This helps identify specific locations where journalists can connect with people who might not otherwise actively approach the media.

Demolition Atlas by Architects for Future

The building sector is responsible for around 40 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. In Germany alone, 230 million tons of construction and demolition waste are generated each year — accounting for about 55 percent of all waste. The Demolition Atlas aims to make the scale of building demolition in Germany tangible for the first time. Using the CrowdNewsroom Atlas, information is collected on buildings that are either threatened by demolition or have recently been demolished. Each entry includes key details such as the architect, year of construction and demolition, and the reason for demolition. Anyone can contribute — easily and accessibly via smartphone or computer — by marking endangered or demolished buildings on the map and uploading photos and information.

You can find more information about the project here.

Community Mapping by CORRECTIV.StartHub

CORRECTIV.StartHub used the CrowdNewsroom Atlas to map and highlight media projects across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The map shows whether the projects are currently in the idea, founding, or growth phase and also includes networking information — for example, the topics where support is needed or offered. The map increases visibility for journalism that strengthens democracy while also promoting collaboration and exchange among emerging media creators.

Click here to view the map.

Want to use the CrowdNewsroom Atlas for your own project idea?

Here, we show you how to create your own CrowdNewsroom Atlas.