PolicyMap Introduces “Edit Data” Feature

[This was originally posted on April 1, 2017. Enjoy.]

PolicyMap has always been a great source for accurate and trustworthy data and facts about your community. Though most users find this indispensable, we’re seeing more and more demand for people to create their own facts, in order to better fit their predetermined narratives.

Increasingly, we’re living in a “post-fact” environment, and PolicyMap didn’t want to be left behind the curve. So now, for the first time, we’re offering a new functionality to let you change the facts and data on PolicyMap as you see fit, with our new “Edit Data” feature.

Say you’re a luxury housing developer, and local government officials are pushing you to offer affordable housing. Previously, you’d go to PolicyMap and find that, in fact, the number of housing units affordable to a family making half the area median income is at an all-time low. In the past, this would have been a dead end, and you might have found it necessary to build mixed-income housing. But now, changing these facts is as easy as moving a slider:

Of course, presenting alternative facts doesn’t change the reality on the ground. Yet. We have a team working on that. Currently in beta, our Edit Data functionality can soon be used to have an immediate impact on your community.

Have you been working to reform the minimum wage laws in your state? Running into legislative obstacles? Enter “Edit Data”. Just pull up the Department of Labor’s Minimum Wage data on PolicyMap, and change the value for your state:

Traffic is one area that’s been worsening in many areas of the country. Say you’re a commuter from Cold Spring, New York, a place with one of the longest commutes in the country, at 48 minutes. Use the Edit Data slider, and reduce traffic to make your drive to work a more manageable 12 minutes.

Or, let’s say you’re single, and having trouble finding a date. You have high standards, we understand. And we’re here to help. You probably have multiple criteria you’re looking for, and that’s why we’re extending Edit Data to 3-Layer Maps. Having trouble finding someone smart, about your age, who speaks fluent French (why not)? Just add variables for educational attainment, age, and language spoken at home. Then adjust the sliders to add people who fit these criteria to your neighborhood.

How do YOU plan to use this new feature? Let us know in comments section below!

April 1, 2017