2d ago

Google reclassifies U.S. as ‘sensitive country’ alongside China, Russia after Trump's 'Gulf of America' comments

www.cnbc.com Google reclassifies U.S. as ‘sensitive country’ alongside China, Russia after Trump's 'Gulf of America' comments

Following President Trump's declarations about changes to the map, Google employees were given the highest level of urgency to reclassify the U.S.

Summary

Google has reclassified the U.S. as a “sensitive country” following Trump’s announcement to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” and Mount Denali as Mount McKinley.

The designation, typically reserved for nations with border disputes or strict governments, reflects the growing challenges tech companies face under Trump’s second term.

Google Maps has prioritized updating these name changes, treating them similarly to disputed regions like the Persian Gulf.

The reclassification may impact how Google handles U.S. geographic labels moving forward.

United States | News & Politics @midwest.social

ByteOnBikes @slrpnk.net

2d ago

Google reclassifies U.S. as ‘sensitive country’ like China, Russia

www.cnbc.com /2025/01/28/google-reclassifies-us-as-sensitive-country-like-china-russia-.html

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Meanwhile, Google Maps shows Gulf of America now... So, take it with a grain of crack.
- It only does it in the country, as a Canadian I still see gulf of Mexico.
  That's the whole point of this sensitive designation
  
  I am in the US and still see Gulf of Mexico.
  I would actually love if for the next 4 years they just got busy only remaining places on map and nothing else.
  Sadly much more damaging stuff is happening and this is just another distraction.
  
  Renaming shit on maps is part of erasing that a people ever existed there at all. The towns in Poland my family came from aren't on any maps any more. Their names exist only in stories passed down to me, and to a few people who also received them still living where those towns used to be. That I didn't even know for 33 years where to find the towns in my great great grandmother's stories was exactly the aim of the ethnic cleansing that brought her here.
  I get that it seems silly and ridiculous and like a big distraction to a lot of people, and on some level, yes, that is the point of renaming shit on maps when you're just going to do the killings anyway, but also... The point is the killings, and when a big authoritarian dickhead shows up saying he wants to rename shit on a map? Freak the fuck out. This dude plans to kill.
  
  It's funny how people think it will be 4 years. This shit will not be over in 4 years.
  
  Republicans are already proposing removing thw term limit on presidents, whole somehow claiming that won't allow Obama to run again.
  
  Pourquoi n'est-il pas correctement étiqueté? C'est le Golfe du Québec!
  
  If the Bloc runs on that platform, I'd vote for them from Ontario.
- I live in the US in a very red state and mine still shows "Gulf of Mexico"
- They're only going to show that in the US.
  Thw rest of the world will still see the original and internationally agreed on name.
  If it was an internal waterway, the Americans could rename it whatever they want and everyone else would happily go along with it.
  But, since the Gulf of Mexico is partially international waters, and since it has shores on multiple other countries, the US doesn't get to unilaterally decide what everyone else calls it.
- Hilarious ... Google has placed baby bumpers for Americans on Google Maps
  Careful sweetie, you might hurt yourself
- take it with a grain of crack.
  That DOES seem to make keeping up with the news more fun 🤔
  
  Instructions unclear.
  I threw out my phone and started climbing up the side of the building
- You FUCKING COWARDS.
  What the hell happened, man.
  I get why you have to do it with China. You need to move on with your life, and you're going to be caught up in endless ridiculous squabbles, and life is short.
  You KNOW you don't actually have to do it for Trump.
  You're just deciding to. It's like in the movie, "How in the WORLD could this guy take the money, when he knows it's wrong."
  Why in the world, man. What happened.
  
  They operate in his jurisdiction.
  
  No they don't. They operate in the United States government's jurisdiction.
  I know that Trump thinks that a consequence of that is that he can simply order them to do whatever he wants, and they have to do it, but that's not true. Or, it's only true to the extent that people around him start to see it that way, and act on it, and start to punish people who don't do whatever he says, regardless of what the law or the rest of the United States government which is considerable has to say about it.
  That's one reason I think they're cowards. Because the more that people start to mutually believe that everything Trump says, is law, the more other people will agree to it and start to act on it as if it's the same way. We made all this up. We pretend there's a "constitution" that means something, we pretend "congress" is something special, not just a bunch of old guys in a building who write weird incomprehensible documents, we pretend it all means something, when at the end of the day it's just a bunch of monkeys who run around making special noises.
  And we can start to pretend Trump is king, too, if we want to. I don't want to, and I get irritated at people who start pretending that he is. That shit's contagious.
  
  I think bowing to China made them bigger cowards tbh
  
  International mega corps are arguably more powerful than the federal government. Theyve gone with the government solely because it benefits them at the moment... They think. This hard-line bullshit only benefits the corporations and mega rich. But what's coming is a collapse of power, money and interests. America is collapsing in front of our eyes, it's time to move on from trying to preserve what was, and work on removing threats and rebuilding. The mindset is what needs to change.
  
  No argument there.
  
  I mean, are you accusing me of changing the name? I'm not sure who you're yelling at here. I'm as mortified as the next sane person.
  
  Sorry! I was talking to Google, not to you, I have no issue with you at all. I should have phrased it in a more clear fashion. I'm just irritated, that's all.
  
  No sweat. I get now. I have been randomly screaming into void myself since he was elected.
- (For anyone curious, I just did this, and it still shows as Gulf of Mexico for me)
- Only for the United States, I still see "Gulf of Mexico" in Australia
  
  I’m in the US and just updated Google Maps and it still shows the correct name.
- It's still correctly labeled as Gulf of Mexico on my Google maps
- At least try not to talk out of your ass

72 comments