Mexico sues Google over changing Gulf of Mexico’s name for US users

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/09/mexico-google-lawsuit-gulf-of-mexico

26 comments

  1. Good. The whims of a madman shouldn’t dictate policy. It’s the Gulf of Mexico and no amount of EOs or congressional acts should change that or fill in the administration’s Gulf of Credibility.

  2. I don’t get it.

    If a country’s law (US) says to call land mass or body of water something different what recourse does another country (Mexico) have to ensure they do not change it?

    I mean renaming the Gulf of Mexico makes zero sense to me, and appears to be a complete waste of public time, energy and resources for the sake of Trump’s vanity, but what can Mexico really do but kick up a fuss?

  4. I don’t get why the lawsuit is a thing I mean Google uses the official maps of the user’s country and it’s the official map of America, look at like any contested territory and you will see differences

  5. >“All we want is for the decree issued by the US government to be complied with,” Sheinbaum said.

    >“The US government only calls the portion of the US continental shelf the Gulf of America, not the entire gulf, because it wouldn’t have the authority to name the entire gulf,” she added.

    Here’s [a map](https://sovereignlimits.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/07/MEX_USA_Gulf_of_Mexico.jpg) showing what she’s talking about. The [executive order ](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/restoring-names-that-honor-american-greatness/) only specifies the part of the gulf that’s our territory.

  6. The rest of the world should rename white house as shit house as long as the conman is there.

  7. I’m not a fan of the name change, but it’s not uncommon for countries that use different languages to have totally different names for geographic objects. Beijing is Pekin in some languages. Myanmar is Burma. Or look at Hungary – feels like every language has its own name for that country.

  8. This is playing into Trump’s “flooding the zone” strategy.

  9. I can call any place whatever I want and no one can sue me for calling it something else, so how is this different? This doesn’t solve anything. All it does is waste Mexican tax payer and US tax payer money.

  10. You know it’s a weak and sad administration that *that* is considered one of the biggest accomplishments so far. No substantial change for the better, just renaming something for the sake of jingoistic pride.

    A map with the gulf on an easel is *still* right next to the Resolute Desk in every event in the Oval Office. He mentions it at least once at every rally. He got to change what a thing says on the world map, and that makes him feel powerful.

  11. What can’t Google call it Gulf of Potato Salad in their apps?

    I mean I think it silly what Trump instigated – but why can’t Google call it whatever they want?

  12. They won’t win this.

    Google has a long history of labeling disputed areas differently based on where the user is visiting from (see the South China Sea / West Phillipine Sea), and as stupid as this name change is (and it is incredible stupid), Mexico has no standing to demand that it be changed outside of their own juristiction.

    Maybe there’s some legal path for an American group to pursue, but I don’t see how Mexico has a leg to stand on here.

  13. This whole situation is stupid. It’s the equivalent of Germany suing Google because their US maps say Germany instead of Deutschland.

    Besides, the whole rename is temporary. It’ll be changed back the very first day we have a Democrat in office again.

  14. As much as I think it’s petty and pathetic for Trump to change the name, I don’t see the point of Mexico suing over it as well.

    The US can choose what to call their territories even if it’s stupid. Countries do this all the time during territory disputes but no one sues over a private company adhereing to the country’s laws that they operate in.

  15. Mexico should launch it’s own search engine and kick google the hell out of that country, along with their other apps.

    Goodbye ad revenue from Mexican clicks.

  16. Calling it the Gulf of America is fucking dumb.

    But what grounds does Mexico have to sue? They don’t own the gulf any more than the US does, and I can’t think of any injury Mexico would suffer from having Google display a different name in a different country.

  17. Can Mexico force google to display the USA as some fucked up name? Just for Mexicans of course. 

  18. Tbf Google does this everywhere if an area has a contested name it just follows what ever the locale says. US users see gulf of America while everywhere else sees Gulf of Mexico

  19. Doesn’t Mexico users see Gulf of Mexico anyway?

    Mexico doesn’t own the Gulf.

  20. This is so stupid, all of it. I’m dumber for having been exposed to it.

  22. Not a lawyer, does Mexico even have standing to bring this suit? Not only that, but what exactly is the harm to Mexico here besides the general stupidity of trying to rename the Gulf of Mexico?

  23. It’s stupid theatrics for Trump to rename the Gulf of Mexico

    It’s also stupid theatrics for the Mexican government to sue an American company for something that only applies to America.

  24. Yes!!!! From an American I hope Mexico wins and Google changes it back. It’s THE GULF OF MEXICO and I will teach my children and my children’s children that!

  25. Don’t worry Mexico the adults will still call it golf of Mexico.

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