A 17-year-old citizen science project, iNaturalist, has become a crucial tool in understanding our world. With over 240 million observations worldwide, it’s an app that allows users to share photos of plants, fungi, animals, and any piece of nature, which are then identified using crowd-sourcing and artificial intelligence.
iNaturalist is used by scientists to study the ecology of different species, discover new species, and track invasive species. It’s also been used in forensic investigations, such as analyzing insects and their habitats to determine the time since death. However, this raises concerns about personal data collection and safety.
When users upload images, they can make the location public, allowing others to see where it was found. But what if this information is not just publicly visible? The app has features in place to protect geoprivacy, which allows locations of observations to be obscured, preventing species from being illegally poached or collected.
Despite these precautions, users should still consider taking steps to protect their location data. Although iNaturalist doesn’t sell user information, images can still contain enough detail to figure out where someone is based on the time and date of the photo.
Overall, iNaturalist is a valuable resource for observing nature, providing crucial data points that help us understand where plants, animals, and fungi can be found. It’s also an important tool in biosecurity efforts and forensic investigations. As with any online platform, users must take steps to protect their personal data while still enjoying the benefits of citizen science.
Source: https://theconversation.com/what-is-inaturalist-the-citizen-science-app-playing-an-unlikely-role-in-erin-pattersons-mushroom-murder-trial-255714