Mexican President Threatens to Sue Google Over 'Gulf of America' Label on Maps | Common Dreams
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Mexican President urges Google to reconsider renaming the Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America' on its maps feature at Trump's demand, and threatens legal action.

The president of Mexico on Thursday expressed hope that Google “reconsiders” its decision to change its online maps to reflect U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that he has the authority to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico.

Shortly after taking office, Trump issued an executive order announcing he was changing the name of the body of water to the Gulf of America.

For U.S. users of Google Maps, the gulf was listed as the Gulf of America as of Thursday. Google, whose CEO attended Trump’s inauguration along with other tech moguls, said last month it has “a long-standing practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.”

But Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warned Thursday that her government “will file a civil suit” against Google if it does not revert back to labeling the international body of water the Gulf of Mexico.

  • Zorque@lemmy.worldEnglish
    42·
    2 days ago

    Google is dictating “This is how it’s referred to by one of the two countries encompassing the gulf”. Is it dumb as fuck? Sure. But they’re not deciding that people should be using it, only that in official terms, that is one of the names.

    That doesn’t mean you have to like it, or that it shouldn’t be fought against… but it’s not like they’re some malevolent actor trying to get one over on the righteous hero either.

    • Lvxferre [he/him]@mander.xyzEnglish
      41·
      2 days ago

      Google is dictating “This is how it’s referred to by one of the two countries encompassing the gulf”.

      It’s also dictating that one name should be seen as as valid as the other. When it’s simply not the case.

      it’s not like they’re some malevolent actor trying to get one over on the righteous hero either.

      They’re doing this because money. And it’s still the wrong thing, regardless of “malevolence” or not.

      • Zorque@lemmy.worldEnglish
        13·
        1 day ago

        This is not a righteous crusade for the downtrodden, you are not defending a moral outrage. It’s a petty school yard slapfight.

        It’s annoying, but it’s not diabolical. No one is functionally harmed by this, they just get a bruised ego.

        On scales of capitalist damages in the world, this barely makes a ripple.