Google has been sued by the Mexican government for its decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” for consumers in the United States.
The modification was executed subsequent to an executive order issued by President Donald Trump, which mandated that U.S. agencies implement the new terminology. The decision was condemned by Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum, who contended that it violates established international maritime boundaries and misleads the public.
Mexican officials assert that their nation is responsible for approximately 49% of the gulf’s waters, while the United States holds approximately 46% and Cuba 5%. President Sheinbaum argued that the term “Gulf of America” may only be pertinent to the portion of the water body under U.S. jurisdiction, not the entire body of water.
Google currently displays distinct labels based on user location, including “Gulf of America” in the United States, “Gulf of Mexico” in Mexico, and a hybrid label for international users, as per its policy of reflecting local nomenclature preferences. The company has declined to alter its labeling, despite formal requests from Mexican officials to reverse the change.
In the interim, the Gulf of America Act was recently ratified by the U.S. House of Representatives, which has further institutionalized the name change in federal language. Now, the measure is on its way to the Senate for review.
The lawsuit underscores the increasing tensions surrounding the naming rights in digital cartography and the growing influence of technology corporations on global narratives.