4 ms·

> The breathtaking speed with which Google Maps happily gets on board with this lunacy Something interesting I learned at National Geographic is that they have

by bmelton 1mo ago

> The breathtaking speed with which Google Maps happily gets on board with this lunacy Something interesting I learned at National Geographic is that they have a geographer (titled: "The Geographer", which always seemed impossibly cool to me) and that the geographer maintains several maps of certain areas so that their field photographers and agents are aware of where they are in relation to "the real world", to know when they're in contested territories, and also to be able to theoretically show the wrong map if they get in trouble to show "It wasn't me, blame my shoddy map!" to provide cover Nothing I know about Google informs me that anyone there is thrilled about the change either, but it's probably one of the easier compliance-swaps they have to engage in, despite how inane it surely is

jMyles 1mo ago
> it's probably one of the easier compliance-swaps they have to engage It's the corporate equivalent of lacking boundaries and failing to maintain emotional maturity. Everybody has to say 'no' sometimes in order to be awesome and capable. Corporations need to say 'no' to governments far more often than they do. We all have fears that saying 'no' to a narcissist will lead to retaliation; having boundaries despite that fear is what keeps us healthy.
- mrhottakes 1mo ago
  Google is raking in money from the Trump administration. Sundar and the other execs are all in, they love the guy.
- froh 1mo ago
  "no" is how to get in trouble real quick in totalitarian neo fascist regimes. and coming from a region that had some of that in our history books, from the outside lots of the things in the US start walking and talking like that type of duck. we'll know more after the midterms. they're the single most important elections the US had in the past decades. good luck to all of us! but I digress. it's not that simple to "just say no".
  - mrhottakes 1mo ago
    How about "don't openly support a fascist regime by giving it money and attending the inauguration"?
- mhurron 1mo ago
  > Corporations need to say 'no' to governments far more often than they do. When those corporations need the government to look the other way about things they're doing or want to do, they're going to suck up to it every time as hard as they can. This is such an easy thing to do to make the little baby happy, of course they did it before he forgets he did it in the first place.
mrhottakes 1mo ago
> Nothing I know about Google informs me that anyone there is thrilled about the change either Oh, at least a few people are thrilled: https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/420aa69/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6215x4148+0+0/resize/1200x801!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F05%2Fcb%2F2f4cd12444a093b128d820299665%2Ftrump-inauguration-faces-photo-gallery-15144.jpg https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/420aa69/214...
brendoelfrendo 1mo ago
Ok, but the president's executive order does not officially change the name of a place or feature. In the US, that function is overseen by the Board on Geographic Names. While they did enact a change for the Gulf of Mexico (now the Gulf of America in US documentation), it doesn't happen immediately. While I imagine the BGN will update Lake Ontario eventually as well, Google tips their hand as being eager to please the admin by updating their maps before there is a corresponding change from the appropriate governing authority. We can't even accuse Google of consistency, because they show Türkiye as Türkiye, for example, even though (as far as I can tell) the US Gov still uses Turkey.
- notahacker 1mo ago
  I'd argue showing Türkiye as Türkiye was consistent; in this case it's the Turkish government that's more likely to kick up a fuss and make life difficult for Google if their preferred nomenclature isn't respected

by bmelton 1mo ago

jMyles 1mo ago

> it's probably one of the easier compliance-swaps they have to engage It's the corporate equivalent of lacking boundaries and failing to maintain emotional maturity. Everybody has to say 'no' sometimes in order to be awesome and capable. Corporations need to say 'no' to governments far more often than they do. We all have fears that saying 'no' to a narcissist will lead to retaliation; having boundaries despite that fear is what keeps us healthy.

mrhottakes 1mo ago
Google is raking in money from the Trump administration. Sundar and the other execs are all in, they love the guy.
froh 1mo ago
"no" is how to get in trouble real quick in totalitarian neo fascist regimes. and coming from a region that had some of that in our history books, from the outside lots of the things in the US start walking and talking like that type of duck. we'll know more after the midterms. they're the single most important elections the US had in the past decades. good luck to all of us! but I digress. it's not that simple to "just say no".
- mrhottakes 1mo ago
  How about "don't openly support a fascist regime by giving it money and attending the inauguration"?
mhurron 1mo ago
> Corporations need to say 'no' to governments far more often than they do. When those corporations need the government to look the other way about things they're doing or want to do, they're going to suck up to it every time as hard as they can. This is such an easy thing to do to make the little baby happy, of course they did it before he forgets he did it in the first place.

mrhottakes 1mo ago

> Nothing I know about Google informs me that anyone there is thrilled about the change either Oh, at least a few people are thrilled: https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/420aa69/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6215x4148+0+0/resize/1200x801!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F05%2Fcb%2F2f4cd12444a093b128d820299665%2Ftrump-inauguration-faces-photo-gallery-15144.jpg https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/420aa69/214...

brendoelfrendo 1mo ago

Ok, but the president's executive order does not officially change the name of a place or feature. In the US, that function is overseen by the Board on Geographic Names. While they did enact a change for the Gulf of Mexico (now the Gulf of America in US documentation), it doesn't happen immediately. While I imagine the BGN will update Lake Ontario eventually as well, Google tips their hand as being eager to please the admin by updating their maps before there is a corresponding change from the appropriate governing authority. We can't even accuse Google of consistency, because they show Türkiye as Türkiye, for example, even though (as far as I can tell) the US Gov still uses Turkey.

notahacker 1mo ago
I'd argue showing Türkiye as Türkiye was consistent; in this case it's the Turkish government that's more likely to kick up a fuss and make life difficult for Google if their preferred nomenclature isn't respected