Given the way Google implemented gathering street view data, I wouldn't be surprised if Google has more map data in the USA than all the other map companies combined.
> the same old mapping/directory companies that do most of the work
In that case, wouldn't it be mentioned in the copyright at the bottom right corner of maps.google.com when looking at US maps? I only see "Map Data (c) 2012 Google".
The Atlantic article mentions that they started with the TIGER data, not something from a mapping company.
Business listing comes from "information from our web search results, data submitted directly by local business owners, and third-party sources such as publicly available Yellow Pages directories" https://support.google.com/maps/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answ...
It's hilarious how quick you can accuse someone without even having some sources to back it up.
