President Claudia Sheinbaum claims the tech firm ignored multiple requests to address the controversial renaming, which follows a US federal initiative.
**Mexico Initiates Legal Action Against Google for Gulf of America Name Change**
**Mexico Initiates Legal Action Against Google for Gulf of America Name Change**
Mexico is taking legal steps against Google for refusing to revert the Gulf of America's name back to the Gulf of Mexico on its maps.
In a bold legal move, the Mexican government has filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging that the tech giant has disregarded repeated demands to stop labeling the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America for users in the United States. President Claudia Sheinbaum disclosed the lawsuit during a recent press briefing but did not specify where it has been filed. Google has yet to respond to these developments.
This contentious name change arises from actions taken by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, which voted to formally rename the Gulf for federal purposes. The renaming initiative was notably endorsed by former President Donald Trump on his first day in office, citing that the US "does most of the work there, and it's ours." However, Sheinbaum argues that this decree is limited to the US continental shelf and doesn't grant authority to rename the entire gulf.
In a letter addressed to Google in January, Sheinbaum urged the company to reconsider its stance on the matter, only to escalate her response to a potential lawsuit in February following a lack of action. Google maintains that its decision to include the Gulf of America designation was consistent with its practice of reflecting changes influenced by government sources. They also noted that users in Mexico would still see the name Gulf of Mexico, while users in other regions would view it as Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).
This ongoing dispute resonates in the media realm as well, particularly regarding the Associated Press (AP), which faced restrictions from the White House for refusing to adopt the Gulf of America terminology. A federal judge intervened, mandating the White House to cease its retaliatory actions against the AP.
Amid these tensions, Trump hinted at a potential name change for another significant body of water, the Persian Gulf, to be referred to as the Arabian Gulf or Gulf of Arabia, stirring opposition from Iranian officials who view such a change unfavorably.
The Gulf of Mexico's rebranding to the Gulf of America on Google Maps highlights a larger issue of geopolitical naming rights and the cultural implications embedded within such disputes.
This contentious name change arises from actions taken by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, which voted to formally rename the Gulf for federal purposes. The renaming initiative was notably endorsed by former President Donald Trump on his first day in office, citing that the US "does most of the work there, and it's ours." However, Sheinbaum argues that this decree is limited to the US continental shelf and doesn't grant authority to rename the entire gulf.
In a letter addressed to Google in January, Sheinbaum urged the company to reconsider its stance on the matter, only to escalate her response to a potential lawsuit in February following a lack of action. Google maintains that its decision to include the Gulf of America designation was consistent with its practice of reflecting changes influenced by government sources. They also noted that users in Mexico would still see the name Gulf of Mexico, while users in other regions would view it as Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America).
This ongoing dispute resonates in the media realm as well, particularly regarding the Associated Press (AP), which faced restrictions from the White House for refusing to adopt the Gulf of America terminology. A federal judge intervened, mandating the White House to cease its retaliatory actions against the AP.
Amid these tensions, Trump hinted at a potential name change for another significant body of water, the Persian Gulf, to be referred to as the Arabian Gulf or Gulf of Arabia, stirring opposition from Iranian officials who view such a change unfavorably.
The Gulf of Mexico's rebranding to the Gulf of America on Google Maps highlights a larger issue of geopolitical naming rights and the cultural implications embedded within such disputes.
