New Mexico representatives are asking Apple and Google to block a potential state name change on mapping platforms. The move comes after the US President suggested renaming the state to New America in a series of social media posts. The lawmakers want to preemptively ensure that the tech companies ignore any official push to alter the map, but the request might not hold much weight. It turns out that these platforms do not actually control official geographical naming.
Tech companies rely on a federal database for location names
The issue starts with how mapping applications actually get geographical data. A tech company does not just pick and choose what to call a state or a body of water. It pulls this information from the Geographic Names Information System, which is a database run by the federal government. If the federal government updates a name via executive order, platforms like Apple Maps have to reflect that change.
We have already seen this happen with other locations. The administration previously pushed an order relabeling Lake Ontario as Lake America for users in the United States, and digital maps updated accordingly. If a company decides to ignore the federal database, it risks losing access to the system completely. Apple has to comply with the database rules, meaning its hands are tied when these federal updates occur.
Don’t miss the best of The Mac Observer
Set us as a preferred source and our Apple reporting ranks higher in your Google Search results and Discover feed — one tap, no account changes.
Lawmakers target mapping apps instead of using the powers of Congress
Because a tech brand must follow the federal database, the letter from New Mexico representatives is largely performative. Writing to a company asking it to reject a map update does not actually stop the president from trying to change the name. If the lawmakers want to prevent a change, they need to take action in Washington and use the powers they have in Congress.
A president does not actually have the authority to unilaterally change a state name, even with an executive order. The state itself and its people hold that power. Instead of worrying about what shows up when a user opens a map on an iPhone, representatives should focus on the source of the problem. Tackling the issue through proper legal and legislative channels is the only way to ensure the state keeps its original name. Directing complaints at tech companies might grab headlines, but it does nothing to solve the core political issue at hand.
Discussion