Google updates Maps to show Lake America for US users, Lake Ontario for Canadian users, and both for the rest of the world, citing the US GNIS' name change (Associated Press)
ThinkingNews Desk · how this was written
Google Maps now displays “Lake America” in place of “Lake Ontario” for users located in the United States, while users in Canada continue to see the name “Lake Ontario.” For all other regions, the map shows both names. The change follows the United States Geographic Names Information System’s recent renaming of the lake.
Written from all 5 reports below, not from any single one.
How it was reported
- Hacker News·Google: Lake Ontario/Lake America name change in the U.S. will appear in Maps
The U.S. Geographic Names Information System has officially renamed “Lake Ontario” to “Lake America” within United States boundaries. Google Maps will display “Lake America” for U.S. users, retain “Lake Ontario” for Canadian users, and show both names for users outside the U.S. and Canada. This rollout follows Google’s policy for water bodies with differing national names.
- Engadget·Google Maps has changed Lake Ontario to Lake America for US users
Google Maps now labels Lake Ontario as “Lake America” for users in the United States, following the Geographic Names Information System’s official renaming under President Trump’s executive order. Canadian users continue to see “Lake Ontario,” while the change is being rolled out globally according to Google’s policy on country-specific water-body names.
- The Next Web·Google Maps relabels Lake Ontario as Lake America for US users
Google Maps now displays “Lake America” instead of “Lake Ontario” for users in the United States after the US Geographic Names Information System was updated on 27 August, while Canadian users see the original name and other regions see both names together. The change follows Alphabet’s policy for differing national naming conventions, a practice also applied to the Gulf of Mexico last year.
- Wired·Google Maps Now Shows ‘Lake America’ Instead of Lake Ontario
Google renamed the easternmost Great Lake to “Lake America” in its US maps after President Trump’s executive order, which also renamed the Gulf of Mexico earlier. The change follows updates to the federal Geographic Names Information System, so U.S. users see “Lake America” while Canadians still see “Lake Ontario.”
- TechMeme·Google updates Maps to show Lake America for US users, Lake Ontario for Canadian users, and both for the rest of the world, citing the US GNIS' name change (Associated Press)
Google Maps now labels the water body as “Lake America” for users in the United States, while Canadian users see it as “Lake Ontario”; users elsewhere see both names displayed. The change follows the United States Geological Survey’s Geographic Names Information System update that officially renamed the lake.
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