After Google, Apple Maps changes 'Lake Ontario' name to 'Lake America' for US users
Apple and Google have updated their maps to label Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' for US users following a directive from the Trump administration. The move, which stems from trade tensions with Canada, has been rejected by Canadian officials.
Why it matters
This illustrates the intersection of geopolitical disputes and the influence of national governments on global digital infrastructure.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) said his renaming of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” was “ratified and binding” after Apple updated the water body’s name for users in the US, making it the second major US tech company to adopt the new name.“Apple Maps has just announced that it has changed the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, adding that the "very important" change was now “complete, ratified, and binding.”Google had updated the name on Google Maps on August 29, following the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) formally changing the lake’s name in America.According to Google, “Lake America” will appear for users in the United States, while users in Canada will continue to see “Lake Ontario.” Users elsewhere will see both names, with “Lake America” in parentheses after “Lake Ontario”, following Google’s policy for water bodies with different…
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