Google Maps has faced a wave of negative reviews and comments after changing the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for users in the United States. Multiple users criticized the decision on Trustpilot, Google Maps’ review pages and in the comments beneath a 9to5Google report about the change. Some reviewers said they had deleted Google Maps or switched to MapQuest, while others accused Google of displaying inaccurate information or capitulating to President Donald Trump.
Google began displaying “Lake America” after the Trump administration entered the name into federal geographic records. U.S. users see the new designation, Canadian users continue to see “Lake Ontario,” and users elsewhere see both names, according to Google. The company said the update followed its long-standing practice of using names provided by official government sources.
One U.S.-based Trustpilot reviewer, Dennis Joslyn, wrote: “Lake America does not exist. The correct name of the lake is Lake Ontario.” Another user, Susan Buchan, said on the Google Maps Help webpage: "I have been a google user for a very long time and am extremely disappointed that you would follow the ridiculous change of the name of Lake Ontario. Shame on you for caving to politics and not standing up for what is right.
I will be looking to move away from using any of your products." Several people across these different platforms said they deleted the app and switched to competitors. Indeed, MapQuest, an American navigation service, experienced a surge in downloads and usage after refusing to adopt the Lake America name change. The navigation service rose to number 4 among free apps on Apple’s U.S.
App Store and reached the top position in Canada, while its usage increased fiftyfold, according to Business Insider. It comes as Trump has urged Apple to make the same change that Google Maps has on its platform, a request confirmed by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Apple Maps was still displaying Lake Ontario at the time.
Newsweek contacted Google via email on Tuesday for comment. Trump signed an executive order on August 27 directing the Interior Department and U.S. Board on Geographic Names to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” in federal records.
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