Featured Image Credit: Google Maps
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, News, Politics, Technology, Apple
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, News, Politics, Technology, Apple
Google Maps users have expressed their outrage after the tech firm agreed to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the 'Gulf of America' in line with Donald Trump's executive order.
The controversial order formed part of Trump's wider plan to minimise potential international influence upon the US and crack down on immigration.
During his inauguration last month (20 Jan), the 78-year-old discussed his plans to change the name of the body of water in a comment that, at the time, left Hillary Clinton in stitches.
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He'd first suggested the alteration at a conference in Mar-a-Lago, Florida on 7 Jan, describing the potential new name as having a 'nice ring to it'.
"The Gulf of America, what a beautiful name and it's appropriate," Trump added at the time.
Days after his inauguration, bosses at Google Maps had promised to abide by Trump's wishes to change the name, but that certain terms and conditions would apply.
For starters, 'Gulf of America' would only be visible to users of the app/website living in the States.
For everyone else, it would still appear on Google Maps under the title of the 'Gulf of Mexico'.
Bosses at the Google consumer application added that they'd also agreed to rename Mount Denali (the US' highest mountain) to Mount McKinley, as per another of Trump's requests - both, of which, have now been fulfilled.
However, the amendment hasn't gone down too well with lots of Google Maps users, many of whom have since vowed to switch to Apple Maps.
"Guess I’m using Apple Maps now," one penned.
"what a f**king joke," wrote a second.
Meanwhile, a third weighed in: "Is there any alternative to Google maps for android users?"
The promise came after a handful of Reddit users pointed out that Apple hadn't yet changed the title of the Gulf.
"Apple maps still just says Gulf of Mexico and nothing else," one wrote, while another added, "Apple Maps say Gulf of Mexico and google Maps says Gulf of Mexico with (gulf of America) in parenthesis".
Others, however, predicted it wouldn't be long until Apple followed suit.
"Tim Cook ceo of Apple was also at the inauguration so I’m sure it’s only a matter of time till they also fall in line," one guessed.
A spokesperson for Google Maps previously told press: "We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.
"For geographic features in the US, this is when Geographic Names Information System is updated. When that happens, we will update Google Maps in the US quickly to show Mount McKinley and Gulf of America.
"When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name. Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names.
"That applies here too."