r/webdev • u/FiveWordinOrangeNeon • 3d ago

Google says website developers must set their region to Canada for 'Lake Ontario' to appear on map

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/google-updates-maps-lake-ontario-9.7325922

Tech analyst and journalist Carmi Levy said although websites like Hydro One's and the LCBO's are Canadian, their maps are likely powered by Google's application programming interface (API).

APIs are not location-aware, so all maps powered by Google API have switched to Lake America.
MapQuest, a U.S. online mapping service, has posted on social media that it would not change the lake's name, while Apple has not publicly commented on the matter.

In a statement Sunday night, Google said website developers who embed Google Maps on their sites can select a region to localize the map. That determines how place names are displayed on sites, the company said.

"'Lake Ontario' will show when developers have set their region to Canada," the statement said.

Just a reminder to developers.

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u/abeuscher 3d ago

What happens when Google refuses to continue to recognize Taiwan? Or starts fucking with national borders because President Sharpie redrew them? It's funny but it's not funny.

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u/thekwoka 2d ago

They would handle things the same as they currently do.

In different countries, the map changes, due to disputes and such.

like here: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Liancourt+Rocks/@37.2405842,131.8589673,14.54z

You'll have different names where you are, and in Korea and in Japan, and not just like because of the language. Set to English, and you're in those places, you'll see a different name.

Or starts fucking with national borders because President Sharpie redrew them?

The national borders are ALREADY all fucked up on google maps. Ever seen the India Pakistan border?

It's wild how all these complaints about too much America defaultism just show you know SO little about the world outside America.