6mo ago

Mexico asks Google to reject U.S. renaming of the Gulf of Mexico. (for this community, why is Google the defacto authority here?)

www.thecentersquare.com

Mexico asks Google to reject U.S. renaming of the Gulf of Mexico

cross-posted from: https://ponder.cat/post/1485960

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote a letter asking Google to reject the U.S. decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America on its mapping service.

Technology @lemmy.zip

Cat @ponder.cat

6mo ago

Mexico asks Google to reject U.S. renaming of the Gulf of Mexico.

www.thecentersquare.com /national/article_5207d6e8-dff2-11ef-982b-473a9c2b3f18.html

35 comments

I hope everyone understands the oligarchs are trying to project their power through their American Tech companies' global reach. This is just fucken Handlebars by the Flowbots.
- Man thats a reference I haven't heard in awhile
  
  I recently discovered Handle Your Bars which was a clapback to a shitty "cover" that was done of the song and it is pretty great. That's like a few years old now too I'm just behind the times.
Because Google is going to play both sides.
They’ll look at the geo location of your ip v and name it based on where you’re from.
Not entirely different from changing the language to your local dialect.
Non issue and a distraction from real issues.
Stop giving this meaningless stupidity Any air time.
- They said that in Mexico, it will show the Gulf of Mexico, and outside of the US, they will show both names.
  
  That's somehow worse to me
  
  I wonder if they will also show both names in foreign languages. That would only be possible for those languages that use a direct translation of the English name and then still it would be very weird to just add a new name that’s not the official one in that language.
  Does anyone know other examples where two names are shown? Plenty of things have different names in different countries or languages, so I’m trying to understand what the criteria are to show both names in an international context. Maybe it only happens for languages where two names exist.
  
  Well this aged poorly.....
Google has authority because both Google Maps and Waze are extremely popular and both controlled by Google/Alphabet.
- This is going to be important too because a lot of people are going to be walking into the ocean over the next few years, and are going to need directions to it.
Google isn’t the de facto authority, they only have authority over their own maps. That said, mapmakers have always had influence (Amerigo Vespucci and Martin Waldseemüller, anyone?) It won’t change for people outside the US, much like the Sea of Japan shows different names for people accessing Google Maps from Japan or Korea.
Google is not an authority, it's a publisher. Like any publisher, it can decide which naming standard to follow in its publications.
But why? Does anyone know an instance where local Google Maps version doesn’t follow local naming? Why would Google change it in Mexican version of Maps? Is Mexican president a Lemmy user?
[edit]
Oh no, I just realised Americans think there’s one version of Google maps and that we’re all using theirs. Didn’t think there’d be so many on Lemmy.
- If it's the same as the policy described here for Google Earth, then I think all English language speakers may get the change.
  Of course, the policy also says this, so maybe it's not relevant afterall:
  By saying "common", we mean to include names which are in widespread daily use, rather than giving immediate recognition to any arbitrary governmental re-naming. In other words, if a ruler announced that henceforth the Pacific Ocean would be named after her mother, we would not add that placemark unless and until the name came into common usage.
- Google still puts my map in miles and gives gas prices in gallons.... I am in Canada where we use neither.
  
  That sounds like a problem with your phone, not Google. It should absolutely be localized to c/ltr and kmph
  
  Might be worth checking if you have this set to automatic and override if it still gives you trouble. I assume it could pulling your location imprecisely enough (due to border traffic as well) but that’s whole another issue without a good solution.
- Americans have really exposed just how sheltered and self absorbed they are.
Because corporations have invaded and taken over every facet of our lives.
Because they paid a lot of money for Tru - I mean they rubbed up really nicely up against Tru - I mean because they're one of the monoliths with ties to the American political syste - I mean because they're totally trustworthy and impartial actors.
Sorry Google. I don't use any of your services at all, ever. It is the Gulf of Mexico and it will remain the Gulf of Mexico. just like fench fries are not freedom fries, they're french fries and french toast is not Texas toast, it's french toast. Google can take a long leap off of a very tall bridge.
I trust that others will maintain proper naming conventions when publishing maps and not buckle under the pressure of a thin skinned toddler and his cult followers.
- Ok, but like, you know French toast and Texas toast are two entirely different things, right?
  
  What is Texas toast? Because I'm curious now.
  
  French toast made from Texas Toast bread is pretty fucking good. You can jam like an egg and a half in one slice.
- I trust that others will maintain proper naming conventions when publishing maps and not buckle under the pressure of a thin skinned toddler and his cult followers.
  Nah, they'll delay it by a couple months and people will have forgotten

35 comments