How Google determines the names for bodies of water in Google Earth (2008)
Google’s 2008 policy for naming oceans, seas, and lakes in Google Earth—prioritizing “primary local usage” and avoiding political disputes—is being contrasted with its recent adoption of terms like “Lake America” and “Gulf of America” after a U.S. presidential directive. Commenters argue this change violates the company’s own stated criteria of common, locally used names and see it as an example of Big Tech capitulating to political pressure, raising broader questions about corporate neutrality, trust in mapping data, and the influence of powerful governments on global platforms.
Original 2008 Naming Policy vs Current Practice
- 2008 blog post describes a “Primary Local Usage” policy: show the dominant local/common name; in disputes, show multiple names near relevant countries.
- Several commenters note that current Google Maps/Earth behavior (e.g., only showing “Gulf of America” or “Lake America” in some contexts) appears to violate this.
- Others say policies naturally evolve and it’s unrealistic for Google to arbitrate “common usage” globally.
“Gulf of America” / “Lake America” Debate
- Many report seeing “Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)” and “Lake Ontario (Lake America)” outside the US, but only the new names in the US; some Canadians see mixed behavior.
- Disagreement over whether Google is simply following US government/USGS data or preemptively complying with a presidential whim, then retrofitting an explanation.
- Some call this sycophantic “boot licking”; others say it’s normal for US companies to align with their government, especially to protect contracts.
Common Usage vs Official Decrees
- 2008 policy explicitly said not to immediately adopt arbitrary renames until in “widespread daily use.”
- Several argue “Gulf of America” clearly fails the “primary/common/local” test; it’s used mainly to mock the change.
- Others counter that once governments and media repeat a term, it arguably meets Google’s own fuzzy criteria.
Localization, Multiple Names, and Usability
- Debate over whether maps should always show all disputed names vs only the local one based on language/region.
- Some want single, familiar names for clarity; others stress dual labels help travelers and multilingual regions.
- Examples: English Channel / La Manche / Ärmelkanal; Persian Gulf / Arabian Gulf; Taiwan naming.
Tech Companies, Power, and Principles
- Strong sentiment that Google has drifted from “don’t be evil” toward “do what’s best for the company,” including accommodating despotic or authoritarian requests.
- Others argue this is just realism: corporations are mercenary, follow laws and incentives, and users should change governments rather than expect corporate resistance.
HN Meta and Historical Context
- Noted that HN auto-strips “How” from titles, changing nuance.
- Surprise that old Google corporate blogs allowed comments; viewed as emblematic of a very different era.