Google Maps has updated its U.S. interface to reflect President Donald Trump's executive order renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America." The alteration aligns with Google's established policy of adopting name changes from official government sources.
For users within the United States, Google Maps will now display "Lake America." This name was introduced by President Trump on Thursday amidst an ongoing trade dispute with Canada. For users in Canada, the body of water will continue to be identified as Lake Ontario, a name with historical roots dating back to the 17th century, predating both Canada and the United States. Scholars suggest the name "Ontario" originates from an Iroquois word meaning "shining sea" or "beautiful lake."
Globally, Google Maps will show the name as "Lake Ontario (Lake America)" when users hover over the location.
This is not the first instance of Google Maps altering names based on presidential directives. Previously, following an executive order on his first day back in office, the company changed the designation of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America." The company also reverted Denali in Alaska to its former name, Mount McKinley, on its maps service. These changes reportedly led to backlash and prompted Google Maps to remove critical reviews concerning the name changes.
The decision has drawn criticism on social media platforms. Users have described the move as "genuinely disturbing," "pathetic," and "weak," with some expressing disappointment that institutions and corporations appear willing to "capitulate to bad people at a moments notice when having principles is even slightly inconvenient to them."