Apple and Google Accused of Coddling Fascism by Renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'

Mapping Apps Reflect Controversial Name Change

Apple and Google updated their mapping applications to display "Lake America" in place of Lake Ontario, at least for US users. This change occurred after the former US President suggested renaming the lake as part of a trade dispute with Canada.

Criticism of Tech Giants' Actions

The decision by Apple and Google to implement this name change is criticized as an act of appeasement to authoritarianism. The article highlights that this is not the first instance, referencing a similar change to "Gulf of America" in the past.

Google's Justification Disputed

Google initially stated that the change was made in adherence to the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) data. However, this claim was later challenged by journalists who found that Google adopted the name change before the government officially implemented it.

Impact on Local Communities

The article notes that the proposed renaming, while seemingly trivial, has real-world impacts on small communities and Indigenous tribes along the lake's shores. Local officials and residents view the change as divisive and disrespectful to the lake's ancient Iroquoian roots.