Customplaces

Customplaces is a feature in many mapping and location-based services that enables users to create and manage their own named locations that are not part of the official map. These can include favorite venues, personal meeting points, event locations, or any place a user wants to reference. Customplaces are typically stored in a user account and may be kept private, shared with selected people, or published publicly.

Typical functionality includes creating a new place by selecting a point on a map or entering coordinates, assigning a name, adding a description, choosing a category, and optionally attaching photos or notes. Users can organize customplaces into collections or folders, edit details, and share them or export them to other tools. Some systems allow linking a customplace to routes, itineraries, or calendar events to aid planning.

Data representation generally uses standard geographic coordinates plus metadata such as place type, description, timestamps, source, and privacy settings. Interoperability is supported through export formats like GPX, KML, GeoJSON, or through APIs for integration with other apps. In some platforms, deduplication and moderation help manage duplicates or conflicts with official points of interest.

Origins of customplaces are tied to the rise of consumer GPS devices and cloud-based mapping, with modern platforms commonly offering user-defined places as part of personalized mapping experiences. The feature is valued for personalization and planning but raises privacy and data ownership considerations, so users are urged to review terms of service and privacy options.

See also: points of interest, user-generated content, geotag, bookmarks, itineraries.