Time for a repeat comment: Organic Maps does everything Google Maps does (except traffic conditions), and is FOSS. Please encourage places to contribute business information to Open Street Maps.
Google officially changes the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on Maps
Submitted 11 hours ago by return2ozma@lemmy.world to technology@lemmy.world
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2025/02/10/google-gulf-of-mexico-america-maps/78394410007/
Comments
fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.com 1 hour ago
TimboSlice@discuss.online 26 minutes ago
Just swapped apps. Thanks for the suggestion!
vodkasolution@feddit.it 2 hours ago
vodkasolution@feddit.it 2 hours ago
UNITED STATES OF NORTH MEXICO
I’m gonna start creating new pubs, bars and so on, everywhere I go, and call them Trump’s Mexican Deli, Donnie & Elon’s vacancy hotel, and so on. Please contribute (use an alternative google account)afronaut@lemmy.cafe 2 hours ago
I’m in the process of migrating my saved locations and addresses to Organic Maps. Bye Google.
_lilith@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
What a great time to download Organic maps
ouch@lemmy.world 2 hours ago
gedaliyah@lemmy.world 1 hour ago
Also a great choice. I prefer organic maps for a variety of reasons (like ability to contribute to the maps), but a lot of people prefer OsmAnd. They are both very good.
Sunshine@lemmy.ca 9 hours ago
It’s a massive upgrade in terms of aesthetics and privacy!
Junkernaught@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 hours ago
I love that it’s not google, and the UI is nice, but the lack of realtime traffic info is a real blocker for me
gedaliyah@lemmy.world 1 hour ago
You might be interested in Magic Earth is is also built on OpenStreetMap but includes crowdsourced traffic data. If you are in a big city then it’s likely they have good data for your area.
ramjambamalam@lemmy.ca 8 hours ago
That’s a weird flex by the United States of South Canada
mrmule@lemmy.world 2 hours ago
Punchshark@lemmy.ca 11 hours ago
What a bunch of cucks! The billionaires have fully taken over!
spankmonkey@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
They took it over from the millionaires!
aeternum@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 hours ago
and the trillionaires will soon take over!
devfuuu@lemmy.world [bot] 9 hours ago
For them to not exist and to stop it they meed to be cleaned over regularly. Some countries had that figured out.
jaemo@sh.itjust.works 4 hours ago
Cool.
In not at all related news disabling Google maps on your Android device can often be a source of delight! I never knew how capable organic maps was and it has a very nice auto integration.
SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
Nothing will meaningfully improve until the rich fear for their lives
Mrkawfee@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
This is the way.
Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca 10 hours ago
Atherel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 hours ago
Skunk@jlai.lu 6 hours ago
th3dogcow@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
Same, but in Japan.
Maruki_Hurakami@lemm.ee 10 hours ago
If you zoom in does it change? Mine does. I’m in the us
Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca 9 hours ago
No
ramjambamalam@lemmy.ca 8 hours ago
The change reflects Google’s policy of adhering to official government names for geographical locations.
OK, so why am I seeing Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America) from Canada?
Tattorack@lemmy.world 4 hours ago
Same here in Europe.
This is highly irregular for several reasons:
Google adheres to official government positions, yes, but as far as I’m aware the American government hasn’t made the name change official yet. Members of the government have said that they’d do this, but I don’t think this idea has passed any process yet. So then why is Google “updated” their maps?
When Google adheres to official government positions, they are local. In example, when you’re in China and look up Taiwan, it’ll appear as part of China. In other countries it’ll appear as either an independent country or a disputed territory, depending on that government’s official position on the matter. What we DON’T see is something like “Taiwan (China)”, as Google supposedly has no intention on forcing the policies of one government upon another government, and as far as I’m aware the rest of the world hasn’t agreed to changing The Gulf of Mexico to The Gulf of America.
rmuk@feddit.uk 3 hours ago
If anyone’s interested, here’s what it looks like in Europe. The good news: this is the first time I’ve had to use Google Maps in a loooong time (ignoring embedded maps in other sites). OpenStreetMap is wonderful and there are some superb apps powered by it, including the ever-excellent Organic Maps.
afronaut@lemmy.cafe 2 hours ago
From the Wikipedia for Gulf of Mexico:
While the Interior Department confirmed that the Gulf of America name was effective for U.S. federal agencies, on January 24, the change does not apply in an international context.
tal@lemmy.today 8 hours ago
If Justin Trudeau gets active on this, you can probably get it to Gulf of Canada (Gulf of Mexico) (Gulf of America).
beejjorgensen@lemmy.sdf.org 11 hours ago
What’s that sucking sound?
Opinionhaver@feddit.uk 3 hours ago
I don’t honestly see a big issue with this. First of all: It’s called Gulf of America, not Gulf of USA. Considering it’s a gulf between south and north American continents it’s actually a more fitting name and in no way excludes Mexico.
And secondly, you can just move on with your life and keep calling it the Gulf of Mexico and everyone will perfectly understand what you mean. Nobody is holding a gun to your head and telling you to adopt the new name. Same applies to Twitter and Facebook too for example.
CitricBase@lemmy.world 3 hours ago
The “big issue” with this it that it is being done entirely to appease the vain whims of an egocentric wannabe dictator, and for no other reason.
chiliedogg@lemmy.world 2 hours ago
Nobody is holding a gun to your head
Give them a few months
Opinionhaver@feddit.uk 1 hour ago
Allright. Let’s revisit this in 6 months to see what happened - or didn’t.
Engywuck@lemm.ee 2 hours ago
+1. Couldn’t care less. My life will go on. I’m not going to use GMaps anyway.
thisphuckinguy@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
What the fuck is this shit?
Vanth@reddthat.com 10 hours ago
Huh, do they really change names of international things when only one party says so?
Denali/McKinely is one thing, it’s part of the US. But the Gulf of Mexico is a mix of US, Mexico, Cuba, and international waters. I wonder what they show Google Maps users who are in Mexico.
marcos@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
They have clear rules for contested areas… that they follow in an as clear way as they user support rules.
devfuuu@lemmy.world [bot] 9 hours ago
That’s reassuring. We all know that google is the best at user support.
VicksVaporBBQrub@sh.itjust.works 4 hours ago
I found this paragraph…
Can Trump change the name of the Gulf of Mexico? Maybe, but it’s not a unilateral decision, and other countries don’t have to go along. The International Hydrographic Organization — of which both the US and Mexico are members — works to ensure all the world’s seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted uniformly, and also names some of them. There are instances where countries refer to the same body of water or landmark by different names in their own documentation.
From this webpage… pbs.org/…/can-trump-change-the-name-of-the-gulf-o…
fine_sandy_bottom@discuss.tchncs.de 3 hours ago
Naming things is complicated.
It’s not really a case where some organisation has the authority to name something. Rather people just call something a name, and organisations adopt that name.
gedaliyah@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
Had to check.
Slowly working towards a viable OpenStreetMap in my area. If you want to help, you can make a free account and begin editing: www.openstreetmap.org/user/new
You can also contribute on mobile by using Street Complete or any number of great mobile apps that allow limited editing and full map features like Organic Maps
freeman@feddit.org 3 hours ago
Street Complete is amazing! Perfect for people who find going on a walk too boring, like me
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 9 hours ago
Did the same in my area. The roads are good, but the businesses are either missing or outdated. I probably added 100 over the last few months.
It’s kinds fun! When I go out, I check OM and see what’s missing, take some pictures, and then go edit a bunch of stuff that night. It doesn’t take long, and I feel like it’s worth my time.
Allero@lemmy.today 5 hours ago
Recently began contributing to OpenStreetMap. Information on my place is quite outdated, lots of work to do!
FierceNerd@lemm.ee 7 hours ago
Did not know about Street Complete. Thanks for the recommendation!
merde@sh.itjust.works 10 hours ago
Gulf of Cuba
:)
ThatGuy46475@lemmy.world 9 hours ago
Cuba
United States
Mexico
Gulf of C.U.M.
onyxjet@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
Vespucci is a full editor for android.
FergleFFergleson@infosec.pub 9 hours ago
Thanks for providing that link. I knew about OSM, but didn’t fully grasp that (duh) it’s open which means I can help with the data. Time to get busy! :)
Sergio@slrpnk.net 11 hours ago
Apple Maps currently shows it as Gulf of Mexico, fwiw.
the_doktor@lemmy.zip 9 hours ago
Send a complaint through the site. Flood them with complaints about how they are an evil corporation licking Trump’s boot and that it’s the Gulf of Mexico.
Don’t let these damn corporations win.
Railcar8095@lemm.ee 6 hours ago
You do you, but that is literally yelling at a cloud.
Stop using Google services altogether, delete your accounts. Block ads. That’s the only way to cost them some pennies.
altima_neo@lemmy.zip 11 hours ago
I mean Google’s a huge pushover anyway. Who cares what they think.
BombOmOm@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
Apple still has it as Gulf of Mexico.
franzcoz@feddit.cl 10 hours ago
This is stupid! I see both names displayed, at least. But still stupid.
solrize@lemmy.world 11 hours ago
They are coming for our freedom fries next.
marcos@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
Hum… Did they change the name of the North-America’s South-West like the Mexico president requested too?
werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 26 minutes ago
And you’ll see Amerida right at the bottom of the picture, that’s the capital of Floricatan in the country of America… Have you guys noticed how our country’s name is not America? I would be a fucking retard if I named something “of America” when my country’s name isn’t America. As an example, all Mexican coins say “estados unidos mexicanos” or something like that. But the country is Mexico. Mexico is in America, but they don’t say “mexico of America”, because they are not fucking retarded.