Google Maps makes a change that angers an entire country
For the second time in 18 months, Google Maps makes a controversial change to its maps.
Google Maps makes controversial change | Image by PhoneArena
Google announced yesterday that those in the US using Google Maps will no longer see the Lake Ontario name for the 193-mile-long body of water just north of Rochester, New York. Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that changes the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America, and the Google Maps apps and website have followed along. The northern, western, and southwestern shores are part of the Canadian province of Ontario while the southern and eastern parts of the lake belong to New York state.
Canada and New York will not recognize the "Lake America" name
Both Canadian and New York state officials (including Governor Kathy Hochul) say that they will continue to call the body of water Lake Ontario and there could be some confusion depending on the mapping and navigating app you use. As of Sunday afternoon, Apple Maps is still using the Lake Ontario name, although that could quickly change.
In February 2025, an executive order signed by President Trump changed the title of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on January 20, 2025 (Trump's second inauguration day). Once the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) officially updated the name of the largest gulf in the world in February 2025, Google Maps followed suit on February 10, 2025, with Apple Maps making the change on the very next day.
One of the things I'm most going to take away from the Trump era is how many people and institutions and corporations don't actually stand for anything and will capitulate to bad people at a moment's notice when having principles is even slightly inconvenient to them. https://t.co/NQx95DCrXW
— Velodus (@velodus) August 30, 2026
It should be pointed out that Lake America/Lake Ontario is a natural border between the US and Canada. The international border happens to run right through the middle of the lake and it separates New York state to the south and east from the Canadian province of Ontario to the north and west.
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Google Maps users outside the US and Canada will see both names on the map
Google's statement that it made on Saturday pointed out that while the Lake America name shows up for Google Maps users in the US, those using the app or website in Canada will still see the Lake Ontario moniker. But what about those who are using Google's mapping and navigation app in a country that is not the US or Canada? According to Google, Google Maps users outside of the States and Canada will see the body of water referred to as "Lake Ontario" with "Lake America" appearing in parentheses.
President Trump does have the power to determine how the US government refers to the lake, along with other geographic landmarks. However, Trump cannot force other countries to adopt the Lake America name.
Canadian officials say that the body of water will forever be Lake Ontario
Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, already upset with Trump for the 50% tariffs he recently imposed on Canada, said that his country will "forever" call this body of water Lake Ontario. Yesterday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a sign on the Canadian side of the lake that read in large font, Lake Ontario followed by "Now and Always."
Other mapping and navigation apps and websites have yet to change the lake's name
MapQuest has already announced that it will not change the name of the lake and is keeping it as Lake Ontario. Waze, which is owned by Google, also continues to keep the original Lake Ontario name on its apps and website.
Which of these mapping and navigation apps do you prefer?
58 Votes
Google Maps
34.48%
Apple Maps
18.97%
Waze
18.97%
MapQuest
17.24%
HERE WeGo
5.17%
A different app
5.17%
Most of the comments posted on social media sites were against the name change. One tweet called the name change "genuinely disturbing." Another comment said, "Like this will obviously just be changed back day 1 after Trump's regime is over, but it's just deeply sad, not even demoralizing, just pathetic."
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