- 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.
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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.
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.
