U.S.
Mexico threatens to sue Google over ‘Gulf of America’ name change
Published UpdatedBy Karah Rucker (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Producer)
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum threatened to sue Google over its decision to update its maps platform. The change came after President Donald Trump’s decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”
- Google said that it applies name changes when they’ve been updated in official government sources.
- Currently, Google Maps has reviews blocked for the location after criticism.
Full Story
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country may sue Google after it changed its maps to say the “Gulf of America.” Google made the adjustment during the week of Feb. 10, following an executive order from President Donald Trump.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 33%
Center 49%
Right 18%
Bias Summary
- Mexico could file a civil lawsuit against Google for changing the Gulf of Mexico's name to Gulf of America, according to President Claudia Sheinbaum.
- Sheinbaum emphasized that a decree only affects the U.S. Continental shelf and does not change the entire Gulf's name.
- Google claims it follows official government sources in applying name changes, but its map shows differing names based on user location.
- Encyclopedia Britannica stated it will continue using 'Gulf of Mexico' because the U.S.'s authority to rename it is ambiguous and the name has been used for more than 425 years.
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged Google to reconsider renaming the Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America' for U.S. Users and threatened legal action if necessary.
- Sheinbaum argued that the name change does not pertain to the Gulf of Mexico internationally, insisting the previous name is widely recognized.
- She noted that the Gulf of Mexico remains unchanged on Google Maps for users in Mexico, despite the alteration for U.S. Users.
- If Google does not change the name back, Mexico may pursue a civil lawsuit, with Sheinbaum's legal team already examining the implications.
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that her government might pursue legal action against Google for changing the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
- Sheinbaum indicated that they are considering a civil lawsuit against Google due to the name's implications over Mexican territory, which is part of their continental shelf.
- Sheinbaum claimed that Donald Trump's executive order only applies to U.S. Waters and asserted that the name Gulf of Mexico is internationally recognized.
- Mexico's government sent letters to Google requesting the name change back, but Google dismissed their concerns and refused to comply.
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
discuss President Claudia Sheinbaum’s emphasis on the significance of the Gulf’s historical name, highlighting its connection to national identity.
Media outlets in the center
emphasize Sheinbaum’s argument regarding Google’s responsibility to acknowledge the international use of the name, focusing on its legal implications.
Media outlets on the right
underscore Sheinbaum’s assertion that Trump’s order pertains only to U.S. waters, emphasizing the aspect of territorial sovereignty.
Report an issue with this comparison
Bias Distribution
Far
Left
Left
+0
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Untracked Bias
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116 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
116
Leaning Left
22
Center
33
Leaning Right
12
Last Updated
1 day ago
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™
Sheinbaum said Thursday, Feb. 13, Mexico has sovereignty over its territorial waters and she expects Google to commit to internationally recognized geographical names, adding Mexico will file a civil lawsuit if necessary.
Google said previously that it applies name changes when they’ve been updated in official government sources.
People who use Google Maps in the U.S. see “Gulf of America” while people in Mexico see “Gulf of Mexico.” The rest of the world sees both names.
Did Google prevent users from leaving reviews?
As of Friday, Feb. 14, Google Maps has reviews blocked for the location after criticism.
When you click on the name, Google Maps brings up a note.
“Posting is currently turned off. Some types of places are more likely to receive posts, like reviews, that violate Google’s policies. To prevent this, Google has turned off posting,” the message said.
Social media users are also accusing Google of censorship after noticing hundreds of one-star reviews have been removed.
The most recent review for the location on Google Maps now appears to be from a month ago.
What are other companies doing?
Apple Maps also updated their systems to reflect the name change, while the Encyclopedia Britannica said Wednesday, Feb. 12 it will continue to use the Gulf of Mexico.
[Karah]
MEXICAN PRESIDENT CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM SAYS HER COUNTRY MAY SUE GOOGLE AFTER IT CHANGED ITS MAPS TO SAY “THE GULF OF AMERICA.”
GOOGLE MADE THE ADJUSTMENT THIS WEEK FOLLOWING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP.
SHEINBAUM SAID THURSDAY MEXICO HAS SOVEREIGNTY OVER ITS TERRITORIAL WATERS AND SHE EXPECTS GOOGLE TO COMMIT TO INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES … ADDING MEXICO WILL FILE A CIVIL LAWSUIT IF NECESSARY.
GOOGLE SAID PREVIOUSLY THAT IT APPLIES NAME CHANGES WHEN THEY’VE BEEN UPDATED IN OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT SOURCES.
PEOPLE WHO USE GOOGLE MAPS IN THE U-S SEE “GULF OF AMERICA” WHILE PEOPLE IN MEXICO SEE “GULF OF MEXICO.”
THE REST OF THE WORLD SEES BOTH NAMES.
MEANWHILE, AS OF FRIDAY AFTERNOON, GOOGLE MAPS HAS REVIEWS BLOCKED FOR THE LOCATION AFTER CRITICISM OF ITS DECISION TO LABEL IT “GULF OF AMERICA.”
WHEN YOU CLICK ON IT … GOOGLE MAPS NOW BRINGS UP A NOTE SAYING “POSTING IS CURRENTLY TURNED OFF … SOME TYPES OF PLACES ARE MORE LIKELY TO RECEIVE POSTS, LIKE REVIEWS, THAT VIOLATE GOOGLE’S POLICIES. TO PREVENT THIS, GOOGLE HAS TURNED OFF POSTING.”
SOCIAL MEDIA USERS ARE ALSO ACCUSING GOOGLE OF CENSORSHIP AFTER NOTICING HUNDREDS OF ONE STAR REVIEWS HAVE BEEN REMOVED.
THE MOST RECENT REVIEW FOR THE LOCATION ON GOOGLE MAPS NOW APPEARS TO BE FROM A MONTH AGO.
APPLE MAPS ALSO UPDATED THEIR SYSTEMS TO REFLECT THE NAME CHANGE, WHILE THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA SAID WEDNESDAY IT WILL CONTINUE TO USE THE GULF OF MEXICO.
FOR SAN, I’M KARAH RUCKER.
FOR ALL YOUR LATEST NEWS HEADLINES – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 33%
Center 49%
Right 18%
Bias Summary
- Mexico could file a civil lawsuit against Google for changing the Gulf of Mexico's name to Gulf of America, according to President Claudia Sheinbaum.
- Sheinbaum emphasized that a decree only affects the U.S. Continental shelf and does not change the entire Gulf's name.
- Google claims it follows official government sources in applying name changes, but its map shows differing names based on user location.
- Encyclopedia Britannica stated it will continue using 'Gulf of Mexico' because the U.S.'s authority to rename it is ambiguous and the name has been used for more than 425 years.
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged Google to reconsider renaming the Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America' for U.S. Users and threatened legal action if necessary.
- Sheinbaum argued that the name change does not pertain to the Gulf of Mexico internationally, insisting the previous name is widely recognized.
- She noted that the Gulf of Mexico remains unchanged on Google Maps for users in Mexico, despite the alteration for U.S. Users.
- If Google does not change the name back, Mexico may pursue a civil lawsuit, with Sheinbaum's legal team already examining the implications.
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that her government might pursue legal action against Google for changing the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
- Sheinbaum indicated that they are considering a civil lawsuit against Google due to the name's implications over Mexican territory, which is part of their continental shelf.
- Sheinbaum claimed that Donald Trump's executive order only applies to U.S. Waters and asserted that the name Gulf of Mexico is internationally recognized.
- Mexico's government sent letters to Google requesting the name change back, but Google dismissed their concerns and refused to comply.
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
discuss President Claudia Sheinbaum’s emphasis on the significance of the Gulf’s historical name, highlighting its connection to national identity.
Media outlets in the center
emphasize Sheinbaum’s argument regarding Google’s responsibility to acknowledge the international use of the name, focusing on its legal implications.
Media outlets on the right
underscore Sheinbaum’s assertion that Trump’s order pertains only to U.S. waters, emphasizing the aspect of territorial sovereignty.
Report an issue with this comparison
Bias Distribution
Far
Left
Left
+0
Click to close
Click to close
Click to close
Click to close
Click to close
Click to close
Untracked Bias
Click to close
116 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
116
Leaning Left
22
Center
33
Leaning Right
12
Last Updated
1 day ago
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™
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