Due to renaming the Gulf of Mexico: Google labels the US a “sensitive” country
Because the new US president has changed a hundred-year-old name for a bay, Google Maps now treats his country internally like authoritarian regimes.
(Image: Bruce Rolff/Shutterstock.com)
The department responsible for maps at Google now classifies the United States internally as a “sensitive” country, treating Donald Trump's USA in the same way as China, Russia, Israel, Saudi Arabia or Iraq. CNBC has learned this and is now publishing further details on the measures in connection with the name change of the Gulf of Mexico. The new US president has renamed it the “Gulf of America” by decree, and Google announced on Monday that it intends to implement this for users in the USA. However, because it will retain its old name elsewhere, the USA will now be treated internally like countries that have border disputes.
In line with Russia and China
According to the CNBC report, those responsible at Google were instructed to make the change as a matter of urgency. The responsible employees were told to drop everything to implement the change as quickly as possible. According to the report, Google reserves the right to classify countries as “sensitive countries” if they have “strict governments” and border disputes with their neighbors. The examples mentioned primarily include authoritarian states. However, countries with “unique geometry and unique labeling” are also included. In addition to the United States, Mexico has now also been included.
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It was announced earlier this week that Google intends to implement the name change ordered by Trump immediately. In addition to the Gulf of Mexico, shortly after taking office, the US President also ordered that the highest mountain in North America be renamed Mount McKinley instead of Denali. However, while this is located in Alaska and therefore in the USA, the name change for the Gulf of Mexico also affects its neighbors. According to Google, it will continue to be displayed exclusively as “Gulf of Mexico” in Mexico, while both names will be shown in the other states, CNBC quotes.
“Why don't we call it Mexican America?”
The renaming was a campaign promise made by Donald Trump. In fact, it is not a problem to change the name of a place, but only in your country. The Gulf of Mexico has been called that since the 16th century, so the name is older than the USA itself. Reactions from Mexico have been rather muted so far. President Claudia Sheinbaum has assured that her country wants to avoid conflict. At a press conference, however, she also pointed out in front of an old map of North America that the territory of today's USA was once called “América Mexicana”: “That sounds nice, doesn't it?”
(mho)
