The Internet and digitization have changed the way geospatial data is distributed and has made map data easier to find than ever. New technologies and techniques for surveying, monitoring, and disseminating geospatial data has created a data abundance. The digitization of maps also brought changes to how map data is created and maintained. Traditionally, the high cost of surveying meant that map production was the domain of the state and large corporations. New methods and technologies paved the way for crowdsourced map data, termed Volunteered Geographical Information (VGI). In parallel with this development, states and governmental institutions changed their practices. The concept of Open Data challenged and changed the practice of selling map data to third parties, and more and more governmental geospatial data is now available under an open licence, free of charge.
Thus, due to sources such as VGI and Open Data, geospatial data is no longer