Geolocating tweets

Platapus · 05-24-11, 02:20 PM

Serious question. This came up at work.

Is there a way to identify where a particular tweet came from?

I know that the tweet is identified by an account address.

But if someone tweets "hey there is a fire over here" is there a way to determine where (geolocation) this tweet came from? And if so, to what accuracy?

I don't tweet so I have no personal insight in to it.

I know that there is a new feature that allows users to opt-in to a voluntary geolocation. We were talking about before this option.

Gerald · 05-24-11, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

Serious question. This came up at work.

Is there a way to identify where a particular tweet came from?

I know that the tweet is identified by an account address.

But if someone tweets "hey there is a fire over here" is there a way to determine where (geolocation) this tweet came from? And if so, to what accuracy?

I don't tweet so I have no personal insight in to it.

I know that there is a new feature that allows users to opt-in to a voluntary geolocation. We were talking about before this option.

Hmm....at work you should work and not think,

Platapus · 05-24-11, 03:19 PM

But my work is thinking.

Somehow I got past the hiring process and was in!

But this is a serious question. During the last elections in Iran, a lot of emphasis was placed on tweets. We are working up a scenario where tweets can be used to manipulate events (especially if people consider that a tweet = truth)

One hypothesis we are looking at is people outside Iran influencing events inside by sending tweets where the account originates in Iran but the twit is outside Iran.

Tchocky · 05-24-11, 03:29 PM

Aside from grabbing the IP associated with the account I don't believe there is a way.

Regarding retrieving said info, there's an interesting legal row in the UK over this very subject at the moment.

Platapus · 05-24-11, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tchocky

Aside from grabbing the IP associated with the account I don't believe there is a way.

That is what we were concluding too. And the IP would only give you the location of the account, not where the actual tweet came from.

I just wanted to bounce it off some tweeters here. Few of us at work tweet.

the_tyrant · 05-24-11, 03:49 PM

maybe this:http://www.twitterlocal.net/
or this: http://millionclues.com/reviews/webs...tion-and-time/

otherwise you will have to try your hand at data mining, trying to figure out someone's location through what they reference in their tweets, and their time zones.

Platapus · 05-24-11, 03:51 PM

Thanks for the links.

Of course the next question we will be investigating is how easy would it be to fake your location with twitter.

Sometimes we research cool stuff at work. Not often, but sometimes.

05-24-11, 02:20 PM	#1
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,361 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Geolocating tweets Serious question. This came up at work. Is there a way to identify where a particular tweet came from? I know that the tweet is identified by an account address. But if someone tweets "hey there is a fire over here" is there a way to determine where (geolocation) this tweet came from? And if so, to what accuracy? I don't tweet so I have no personal insight in to it. I know that there is a new feature that allows users to opt-in to a voluntary geolocation. We were talking about before this option. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right. Last edited by Platapus; 05-24-11 at 02:37 PM.

05-24-11, 03:19 PM	#3
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,361 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	But my work is thinking. Somehow I got past the hiring process and was in! But this is a serious question. During the last elections in Iran, a lot of emphasis was placed on tweets. We are working up a scenario where tweets can be used to manipulate events (especially if people consider that a tweet = truth) One hypothesis we are looking at is people outside Iran influencing events inside by sending tweets where the account originates in Iran but the twit is outside Iran. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

05-24-11, 03:29 PM	#4
Tchocky Navy Seal Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,874 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	Aside from grabbing the IP associated with the account I don't believe there is a way. Regarding retrieving said info, there's an interesting legal row in the UK over this very subject at the moment. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

05-24-11, 03:51 PM	#7
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,361 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Thanks for the links. Of course the next question we will be investigating is how easy would it be to fake your location with twitter. Sometimes we research cool stuff at work. Not often, but sometimes. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

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05-24-11, 03:49 PM	#6
the_tyrant Admiral Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 2,272 Downloads: 58 Uploads: 0	maybe this:http://www.twitterlocal.net/ or this: http://millionclues.com/reviews/webs...tion-and-time/ otherwise you will have to try your hand at data mining, trying to figure out someone's location through what they reference in their tweets, and their time zones.