Apple and Google Maps Show 'Lake America' for US Users After Trump Order
Apple and Google now label Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' for US users, following a federal naming order that does not bind private companies.
Users of Apple Maps and Google Maps in the United States will now see Lake Ontario labeled as 'Lake America'. The change follows an executive directive from President Donald Trump to update the name in the US government's Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), the official federal database for place names.
The two tech companies have aligned their mapping platforms with the federal designation for their American user base. However, legal experts note that the presidential order applies only to federal government records and does not carry binding authority over private corporations.
This distinction is evident in the market: MapQuest, another major digital mapping service, has retained the traditional 'Lake Ontario' label on its platform. The divergence highlights how private companies have discretion in choosing whether to adopt politically motivated geographic changes.
The move raises questions about the influence of executive actions on consumer technology products, particularly when such changes are not legally mandated. As of now, neither Apple nor Google has issued a public statement explaining the rationale behind their decision to update the map labels.