ESRI will be updating ArcGIS Online on March 22, 5pm to midnight (PDT).

Update Highlights

Mapping

• Editing enhancements including snapping controls and additional capabilities in the editor pane
• Ability to duplicate feature layers in Map Viewer to customize the configuration of a layer without affecting the configuration of the source layer
• New nested group capability, simplifying visualization and review of complex data

Content and Member Management

• Administrators can allow members to transfer their own content to other members of the organization. 
• Administrators can set up member categories to make it easy for the organization’s members to find each other by searching characteristics such as department or project.

Interact with Maps and Data Using ArcGIS Instant Apps

• Exhibit, a new app template, follows a sequential order as it guides your audience through a map and tells a story with interactive slides.
• Portfolio includes two new layouts for additional flexibility as you build one app to showcase maps, apps, and web pages about a topic or location. 
• Attachment Viewer allows viewers to update the attribute information of the attached images or videos while navigating through each feature.

Home Page Replacement

Legacy ArcGIS Online home pages will automatically be replaced with a new default home page unless the administrator requests an extension through the Organization page. Transition to the new home page to ensure that your home page looks and performs as desired.

Early Adopter Community

Would you like to try the features planned for the upcoming ArcGIS Online update? Sign up for the ArcGIS Online Early Adopter Community (EAC) with your ArcGIS Online login. Within the ArcGIS Online testing environment, EAC members can try upcoming features, test compatibility with their existing workflows, influence product development, and engage with the ArcGIS Online development team and other members of the EAC.

If you are using the legacy ArcGIS Online tile services in your apps and maps, then it’s time to upgrade to the new ArcGIS basemap layer service. The legacy tile services are in mature status and are no longer being updated. April 30, 2022 is the deadline to upgrade to the new services. Click below for more information and how to upgrade to the new services.

So what’s new in ArcGIS Online? A whole bunch of enhancements and new stuff. Click below and check it out!

After reading up on what the US Census is doing to the 2020 Census data, I have to consider if I can really trust the data to be used for other applications?

You see, the US Census decided to use “differential privacy”, a mathematical technique to introduce statistical noise to “blur” the data. Their reasoning is that because we have powerful computers, anyone could use other data and cross reference the census data to find information on individuals. You can read about it from the US Census here.

However, what happens to the census data, especially at lower levels like the block level, they start messing around with actual numbers of people and other traits like ethnicity, age, sex, etc. For example, according to the US Census, 48 people live on New York’s Liberty Island, but actually no one has lived there since 2012. It also looks like some US States and organizations will be legally challenging the US Census data and the differential privacy technique. To be fair, the US Census has always implemented privacy safeguards using different techniques like “swapping”, but this new technique seems pretty drastic and really not needed. As data scientists duke it out, you can read all about this issue here.

Will you trust the 2020 Census data? You will need to look at it in your own jurisdiction. Burbank’s population strangely went down, so I need to investigate and look at the data more closely. We will need to determine if we can use this data at a tract, block group, or block level to make more informed and accurate decisions. As they say, your mileage may vary. They also say buyer beware!