An article summarized by Axios:
President Trump’s order to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America” is creating a new battle over whether major tech and mapping companies will recognize the change. Google has updated its maps based on the U.S. Geographic Names Information System, meaning U.S. users will see “Lake America,” while Canadian users will continue seeing “Lake Ontario.” Users elsewhere will see both names. Apple Maps, however, still lists Lake Ontario.
The move has sparked backlash in Canada, with Ontario Premier Doug Ford dismissing the change and insisting the lake will continue to be known as Lake Ontario. The controversy mirrors the earlier fight over Trump’s decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America,” which also led to disputes with foreign governments and mapping companies.
Not every tech company is complying with the new name. MapQuest said it has no plans to change Lake Ontario on its maps, joking that people can call it whatever they want. The split between Google, Apple, and other map providers highlights a bigger question: when a government officially changes a geographic name, do private tech companies have to follow along or can they decide what the rest of the world sees?
