Summary
Google Maps has blocked reviews for the Gulf of Mexico after backlash over renaming it “Gulf of America” for U.S. users, following a Trump executive order.
Critics accused Google of censorship after it removed negative reviews. Google defended the move, citing policies against off-topic content.
Mexico’s President Sheinbaum opposed the change and may take legal action. Apple Maps also adopted the new name.
The controversy adds to concerns over tech companies aligning with Trump, following Meta’s rollback of fact-checking and diversity initiatives.
I’m all for dropping Google if you can, but this is not Google’s fault, it’s Trump’s. Google is simply abiding by its policies of showing names chosen by a given country. If you’re in Mexico, my understanding is that it still shows Gulf of Mexico.
Ah, and as far as dropping Google maps… seriously, I can’t find a valid alternative with real time traffic data as good as Google, free or paid, what do you suggest?
It shows me Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).
The article says that for the rest of the world it still shows “Gulf of Mexico” … I’m in the USA so I can’t check. Are you saying that you are not in the USA and it shows both names?
Yes, it shows both, which is what makes it so ridiculous. The white nationalist government of one country on the entire planet refers to it by that name, the country that Google is based in, and everyone else in the world is forced to see it? You can’t convince me that’s not politically motivated.
Yeah, that is ridiculous. I don’t really have a lot of respect for Google already, but this erodes what bit of respect I had left for them.
Sure, all these giant corporations have no choice but to tongue Trump’s butthole.
EDIT:
But this is specifically not the country (as in Congress or the majority of people) choosing it. This was an Executive Order because Trump hates brown people. It’s also not legal.