Google Maps Renamed Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' - But Only for U.S. Users (thedailybeast.com) 268
It's already happened — at least on Google Maps.
Google's online maps reflect name changes in official government sources, Google posted Saturday. So when the U.S. Geographic Names Information System formally changed the name for "Lake Ontario" to "Lake America," Google also renamed it "Lake America" — for visitors from the U.S.
"Those in Canada will continue to see 'Lake Ontario'," Google said.
And people from every other country in the world... "will see both names." Though here's how it will be written...
Lake Ontario (Lake America)
"These updates follow our long-standing policy for bodies of water with names that vary from country to country, and are starting to roll out now."
Meanwhile, NPR reports that Ontario's Premier posted a billboard reading "Lake Ontario — Now and Always" on Canada's side of the lake (repeating the message in French). And The Daily Beast reports Google move has also drawn some criticism online: "Hey you gave one of the Great Lakes the wrong name; pretty embarrassing mistake so you might want to fix that," one user wrote on X...
MapQuest has said it will not be changing the name, and instead launched a new tool that allows users to rename it themselves to whatever they want.
"Those in Canada will continue to see 'Lake Ontario'," Google said.
And people from every other country in the world... "will see both names." Though here's how it will be written...
Lake Ontario (Lake America)
"These updates follow our long-standing policy for bodies of water with names that vary from country to country, and are starting to roll out now."
Meanwhile, NPR reports that Ontario's Premier posted a billboard reading "Lake Ontario — Now and Always" on Canada's side of the lake (repeating the message in French). And The Daily Beast reports Google move has also drawn some criticism online: "Hey you gave one of the Great Lakes the wrong name; pretty embarrassing mistake so you might want to fix that," one user wrote on X...
MapQuest has said it will not be changing the name, and instead launched a new tool that allows users to rename it themselves to whatever they want.
Different world (Score:5, Insightful)
Trump has the intellect of a toddler (Score:5, Funny)
Re: Trump has the intellect of a toddler (Score:5, Funny)
Re: Trump has the intellect of a toddler (Score:4, Insightful)
... and misspelled.
Needs a k.
Re: Trump has the intellect of a toddler (Score:5, Insightful)
Needs a k.
Or 3.
Re: (Score:3)
Re:Trump has the intellect of a toddler (Score:5, Insightful)
American maps should have Lake Ontario crossed out and Lake America scribbled over it in crayon.
Or black Sharpie, like our Toddler in Chief likes to use. /s
Re:Trump has the intellect of a toddler (Score:4, Informative)
American maps should have Lake Ontario crossed out and Lake America scribbled over it in crayon.
Or black Sharpie, like our Toddler in Chief likes to use. /s
Already happened. [facebook.com]
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Cross it out with a sharpie instead. Because Sharipe gave trump something that it's in almost real gold, and it can even do his signature. And they gave it to him for nothing, even though the president of the states wanted to pay for it.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/live/b... [youtube.com]
Plus, those sharpies have the power to deflect hurricanes when they're used on a weather map.
Re:Trump has the intellect of a toddler (Score:4, Funny)
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Nor the nuclear codes...
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Lake Epstein (Score:4, Insightful)
Correct name : Lake Epstein
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I believe the plan was to give that sobriquet to Lake Michigan, in honour of its decidedly flaccid silhouette.
Toddlers are intellectual. (Score:2)
Toddlers like it if you help them understand.
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The intellect of toddlers improves as time passes. Trump's appears to be going in the opposite direction.
Re: Toddlers are intellectual. (Score:3)
Re:Trump has the intellect of a toddler (Score:5, Funny)
Re: Trump has the intellect of a toddler (Score:5, Funny)
And Canada Geese shall be renamed Donald Ducks
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Enjoy living in a different world than the rest of us, Americans.
And, as an American, I say to MAGA folks, "Enjoy living in a different world than the rest of us Americans."
We're not enjoying it (Score:2, Insightful)
Without that voter suppression Donald Trump would not be president and the Republican party would be a minority party. If you mix in the effects of gerrymandering and how it benefits the Republican party
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It would be one thing if the current administration would have been...you know, even *somewhat* competent. However, when they have in two years managed to do so much harm to American voter even in red states, something might just happen in midterms.
If they had just done all the things with a bit slower pace, things might be much different. You know, just push the tariffs in in a bit more phased rollout instead of tariffing some penguins. Actually planning the action in Iran properly. Being a little less dra
Re: We're not enjoying it (Score:2)
Re:So best case scenario (Score:4, Interesting)
Even if the Democrats win big and take power eventually, I'm not sure they will undo much of the damage. Biden certainly didn't. A lot of what Trump is doing is probably going to be permanent damage.
Plus other countries aren't going to forget this nonsense either.
Re: We're not enjoying it (Score:2, Insightful)
Re: Different world (Score:2)
I look forward to 2029 (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: I look forward to 2029 (Score:5, Funny)
Re: I look forward to 2029 (Score:5, Insightful)
Luck won't be required. All we need is for the Dems to avoid any major footguns.
Well, so far this century that has been a real challenge for the Democratic Party. This year they seem to be more happy to satisfy their fringe base than to assemble a slate of candidates AND a platform of policies that would appeal to the independents who will actually decide elections.
Re: I look forward to 2029 (Score:3)
Re: I look forward to 2029 (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: I look forward to 2029 (Score:2)
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Odd though that Trump can do nothing but appeal to his fringe base (one that is actually, objectively fringe) and yet still get away with it. The real challenge is for the Democratic Party to convince people to take the same scrutinizing standards they use to judge them and apply it equally to the Republicans.
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Huh. I'm a *gasp* straight white male myself and I haven't heard anything like that coming from any Democratic candidates put forth. Asking someone to defend their actual stances is fair, but asking them to argue against the lies you bought into or just made up in your head is a bit much.
Speaking of not caring about law and order, ho
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I don't think so, I think the problem is reality and sense doesn't appeal to a voting population as much as fantastical lies, obvious bullshit and a completely illusive promise of a better life while blaming everything bad on *this one thing we will fix* (which obviously isn't the cause when you think about it).
It's a feel good message. Feeling good resonates with people (even if it vilifies someone).
It's the "we'll build a wall and make Mexico pay for it!" What will do wall do? EVERYTHING. Keep the migrant
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This. Ignorance, lack of critical thinking and lack of education guarantee that many, if not most, will simply believe the most convenient lie that fits their narrow world-view. Couple that with a bit of good ol' xenophobia or outright bigotry and you've got a population at each others throats because everything bad that's happening to them is the "others'" fault.
The manipulators in power also have to constantly attack the mainstream press because the press have the power to call out the lies and they have
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Take a look at who the current frontrunners are for the next Democratic presidential nomination.
For that matter, look at what's going on during the current midterms. They've got a golden opportunity to make major gains ... and it's looking more and more like they're going to piss it all away.
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Trump is the symptom of a bigger problem.
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... which most commenters here don't seem to register.
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When we can put an end to this nonsense.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026 and Tuesday, November 2, 2027
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Re:I look forward to 2029 (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:I look forward to 2029 (Score:5, Insightful)
If Americans think that the rest of the world will embrace them again with open arms just because they elect a democrat, they're deluding themselves. The damage is done, the trust is broken, the relationship and reputational damage will take decades to rebuild.
Re:I look forward to 2029 (Score:5, Informative)
Generations.
Re:I look forward to 2029 (Score:5, Insightful)
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About county level voter suppression Trump is going to win the third term.
The constitution is clear. Trump is ineligible to become president after January 20, 2029 unless he becomes Speaker of the House (the highest line-of-succession post in which he can legally take office) and both POTUS and VPOTUS resign or die, or unless he takes some post even lower in the line of succession and an even larger number of people resign or die. And even that path to the presidency isn't clearly constitutional; it just isn't absolutely black-and-white unconstitutional.
So no, Trump cannot win
Re: Unless you do something (Score:2)
Re:Unless you do something (Score:5, Insightful)
There's a loophole in the 22nd amendment you forgot about that Trump is aware of, the vice-presidential switcheroo:
https://www.politico.com/news/... [politico.com]
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There's a loophole in the 22nd amendment you forgot about that Trump is aware of, the vice-presidential switcheroo:
https://www.politico.com/news/... [politico.com]
That theory relies on a very highly questionable interpretation of the meaning of the English language that is rejected almost universally by all but the most extreme wing-nuts.
Re:Unless you do something (Score:5, Insightful)
About county level voter suppression Trump is going to win the third term.
The constitution is clear.
The Constitution is a document with words. Different people read those words and see different meanings. Only the five majority votes on the Supreme Court matter. If they want to throw an election to Bush or declare that Trump can run for a third term or even declare him as President for life without an election because of how they interpret the Constitution, they will be right and everyone else will be wrong.
The strength of the US governmental system never rested on the Constitution. It rests purely on the willingness of the people to behave in proper ways. Washington stepped down after his second term not due to the Constitution but due to his own ethics. Nixon was forced to resign not due to the Constitution but due to Congressional bipartisan ethics. It's not the Constitution that matters but the ethics of the people. And that is the real problem today.
They're gonna argue it's not consecutive (Score:3, Interesting)
So the court will rubber stamp it in a 6-3 decision. It'll be done right after Trump wins the primary election and they will also justify it by saying that they shouldn't interfere with the will of the Republican primary voters and blah blah blah whatever I frankly Do
Re: I look forward to 2029 (Score:3)
google has shadowbanned the US (Score:5, Insightful)
Only we can see our own stupidity.
to the rest of the world: sorry. our leaders are idiots. I wonder how much longer I will be allowed to say that ?
fascists roots (Score:4, Interesting)
Google complies because they fear being cut out of the no-bid quid pro quo bureaucracy that currently dominates all political decision-making in the White House.
Re:fascists roots (Score:5, Insightful)
Google complies because they fear being cut out of the no-bid quid pro quo bureaucracy that currently dominates all political decision-making in the White House.
To be fair, Trump is pretty capricious and vindictive when people simply don't bend to his whims. For example, today Trump says NBC’s Kristen Welker should face ‘punishment’ from FCC [theguardian.com] simply because she said his endorsements have had "some mixed results" on Meet the Press -- which is absolutely true, not all his endorsed candidates win.
Trump “is going to loom large over these midterms,” Welker remarked on that live shot. “He, of course, has endorsed a slate of candidates in the primaries. He’s had some mixed results.”
The post also said that Trump hoped his appointed FCC chair Brendan Carr – and Carr’s colleagues on the commission – “take this Threat to our Country very seriously”.
So, according to Trump, the phrase, "He's had some mixed results," is a threat to our country. /s
Re: (Score:2)
It's mostly when they publicly don't bend to his whims.
They need to be more non-committal about whether they will bend to his whims, delay as much as possible, make excuses when they haven't done what he asked yet, and stay out of the press as much as possible. Maybe even brown nose him when he calls so he forgets what he's calling about.
You know, do the same things a grifter does.
Will Canadian users now... (Score:4, Funny)
... see the US as the "Ass of Canada"?
https://www.der-postillon.com/... [der-postillon.com]
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That is one of the most reputable newspapers in Germany.
It maybe just me ... (Score:2)
Only visible in the White House (Score:2)
...would have been enough.
Something i wish Carney would do (Score:5, Funny)
...but he wouild never, is to rename one of the islands in Lake ONTARIO to Epstein Island and forcibly relocate the US Embassy there.
When Trump pulls shit like this (Score:2)
Or because he's totally demented and doesn't care ?
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Re:When Trump pulls shit like this (Score:5, Insightful)
I think part of it is petulance from the failure of trade negotiations with Canada.
But I propose option 3: it's a distraction. Everyone's talking about this instead of the Iran war, high prices, his family's enrichment, and oh yes, the Epstein files.
I kind of miss the other distractions, (the ballroom, the compensation fund, the reflecting pool...)
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The book shows the actual backstory to that, Trump wanted to flood the news cycle to cover up his daughter Ivanka's scandal in using pe
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It's because he's a twelve year old child living in an adult body. And so are the 77 millions shitstains who voted for him twice and are still supporting and defending him to this day.
A twelve year old child with the nuclear codes.
Of all the potential and perfectly valid candidates for the republican presidency, they had to chose this miserable child-raping sack of pus.
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He does it because nobody in the cult has enough balls to tell him no.
Canada should do something creative (Score:3)
They can rename things to.
Like rename a great lake:
Lake E Jean Caroll
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My personal favorite is the Trump Epstein Friendship Pond.
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Change your locale (Score:2)
Go to your Google settings page [google.com] and change your locale to "Canada".
Problem solved, for now. I just have to remember to undo this when this clusterf**k is over.
Narrow it down even more (Score:2)
Google good at bootlicking (Score:2)
TRUMP...here is a name change (Score:2)
Trapped
Rich
US
Male
Pedopholes
Call them "The Trump Wing , bought to you by Epstein"
Lake Trump (Score:3)
I think the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant should be renamed Lake Trump, as the largest pile of shit in the US.
Ontario is native american, not Canadian (Score:5, Informative)
The Canadian province is named after the lake, not the other way around.
Because the name pre-dates both countries:
https://ictnews.org/news/trump... [ictnews.org]
Why does Google do this for people outside the US? (Score:3)
We don't need to see the American name, we all know the real name already.
Just curious though: do people outside the UK see the French name for the English Channel?
Trump complains other countries don't respect America enough, but then he does this shit, which just attracts derision and disrespect. He'll be dead in not many years, but we'll still be laughing at the US for electing him.
SHAME (Score:5, Insightful)
Oh no I just realized, the Great Lakes HOMES acronym is now SHAME
Superior
Huron
America
Michigan
Erie
Trump has (Score:2)
Why show both to the rest of the world? (Score:2)
Should Europe and Australia (Score:2)
I blame the moderators! (Score:2)
There must be some funny around here somewhere. I've already seen some worthy stuff, but...
Re: Totally reasonable (Score:5, Insightful)
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Bingo, there was nothing wrong with the names which have a long historical basis. To have to rename them in this manner is just sweaty desperation, it reeks of insecurity which explains MAGA's obsession with "masculinity".
To further that point the thing with the names OP posts is that those cultures have much longer timelines than the US and a lot of those probably predate the idea of shared cartography even. Has the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario ever been referred to differently by the USA?
Re: Totally reasonable (Score:2)
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Trust me, I'm no fan of what Trump has done here. (I'm a Canadian living in the USA.) But I understand why Google has gone along with this. They're deferring to the de facto local authority on hydronyms, which unfortunately is the current administration -- not the American people, most of whom don't want it.
I expect this will all be undone quickly when someone else is in the White House. Possibly even if s/he's a Republican.
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I do love how the standard defenses for things Trump does now are either "well at least he's doing something" even while the thing is bad and "well technically he's legally allowed to do it" even while it's the obvious most crooked shit.
There's no on the merits argument to be made so none of them will.
Re: Totally reasonable (Score:2)
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Nowhere in the Constitution does it grant the president the authority to rename bodies of water by executive order. And constitutionality questions aside, this will likely be overturned; it's only a question of whether it happens now or in the first week of the next Congress.
Compounding that is the racism problem. The name Ontario is a Native American word that means "Great Lake". So not only is our president (illegally) renaming the great lake of the Great Lakes, which is bordering on idiotic on the su
Re: Totally reasonable (Score:5, Insightful)
Compounding that is the racism problem. The name Ontario is a Native American word that means "Great Lake". So not only is our president (illegally) renaming the great lake of the Great Lakes, which is bordering on idiotic on the surface, but he is also replacing a word that has meaning to the cultural heritage of Native Americans with the name of a dead white guy from Europe. You can't get much more offensive and flagrantly racist than that.
Was this intended as flamebait or were you being serious?
Completely serious. Native American groups are pretty pissed about this.
But you're right. Calling it racist is a bit of a stretch, because I doubt our POTUS even knows that it's a Native American word, and probably thinks that it was named after a Canadian province, so by changing its name, he's "sticking it to Canada" or some such nonsense, completely unaware that the lake's name came first.
So in retrospect, I should have said that it displays an absolutely ridiculous level of cultural insensitivity and ignorance.
Either way, the effect is still the same, whether it was deliberate or just through a complete lack of bothering to actually learn anything before making decisions.
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I’m pretty sure more is involved besides the king scribbling a decree. Executive Orders are not instantaneous laws.
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Why should "Lake Ontario / Lake America" (or the previous "Gulf of Mexico / Gulf of America", where the latter is objectively a descriptive name) be any different?
America comprises two entire continents spanning over 30 countries. How is naming a random lake 'Lake America' and the golf of Mexico 'Golf of America' descriptive of anything?
Map makers who are pushovers and refuse to ever exert the power they have don't deserve to be trusted by anyone.
Re: Totally reasonable (Score:2)
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Canada told him to fuck off when the last minute tariff negotiations called for Canada to give up new trade partners.
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The Gulf of America Act didn't make it through the Senate. It was never codified into law, and the name will be reverted by executive order on or around January 20, 2029 unless the next Congress has enough of a Democrat majority in the house to formally reverse it sooner.
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Stop using Google Maps
I think it does have a subtle effect around the world.
If you were to purchase an Atlas for your children, would you now think twice before choosing an American atlas?
And even with purchases unrelated to geography - the choice of a tin of American sweet corn or some other sweetcorn - a sort of low level tired revulsion steers the hand away from the US.