Google caught in crossfire over Gulf of America name change

Source: The Hill

02/20/25 6:00 AM ET


Google has found itself back in the crosshairs of a geopolitical battle over President Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, raising fresh questions over the role technology companies can play in reinforcing political narratives. The company’s decision to follow Trump’s order on Google Maps quickly sparked backlash from Mexico, where leaders are now threatening legal action against the company.

While this is not the first time since Google faced disputes over its geographical name changes, experts say this opens a Pandora’s box of questions about how major tech companies help shape global narratives. “Google, along with the other major platforms, wield enormous influence in how people perceive geography, history and political realities,” said Tobias Feakin, Australia’s former inaugural ambassador for cyber affairs and critical technology.

“What appears on a map isn’t just data, it shapes global narratives. When Google changes a name, it effectively validates a political stance, even if unintentionally,” he continued. Shortly after Trump’s executive order to rename the body of water, the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) made the change official, prompting Google Maps to follow suit for U.S. users.

Those in the U.S. now only see the label “Gulf of America” on the map, while users in Mexico see the name as the “Gulf of Mexico,” and those elsewhere in the world will see “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).” Apple Maps and Bing Maps also updated their systems to align with the change.

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5153740-google-maps-gulf-of-america-controversy/