Google has faced criticism for renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America’ on its Maps service. The tech giant defended the decision, saying, “When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name. Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. That applies here too.”
This move follows a similar controversy in 2012 when Iran objected to Google removing “Persian Gulf” from its Maps. After backlash, Google included both names: ‘Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf)’ in other regions.
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This latest renaming decision is unlikely to prompt a change, especially given Silicon Valley’s recent shift towards aligning with US President Donald Trump. The tech industry, which had once been critical of Trump, now shows clear support. Tech moguls like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, and Jeff Bezos were seen at Trump’s inauguration, signaling a mutual understanding between the tech world and the new administration.
News9 writes, that while it remains to be seen how the tech giants will use their influence, this support indicates a new era of cooperation. Google’s willingness to comply with the renaming order reflects this changing dynamic. However, some critics worry that such easy adjustments could pave the way for more troubling policy changes down the line
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