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NewsWSVN 7 News MiamiSeptember 2, 2026Miami-Dade

MapQuest app usage surges after company refuses to rename Lake Ontario

MapQuest has become the most downloaded free app on the Apple App Store after publicly refusing to comply with a presidential executive order to rename Lake Ontario to 'Lake America.' While other navigation services like Google Maps and Apple Maps have implemented the name change for U.S. users, MapQuest has maintained the original name and introduced a feature allowing users to customize map labels.

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Why It Matters

The refusal to comply with the has led to a 50-fold increase in MapQuest app downloads, highlighting a shift in user preference for navigation services based on corporate responses to federal naming mandates.

Key Facts

  • MapQuest became the No. 1 free app on the Apple App Store as of Tuesday afternoon.
  • MapQuest app usage is approximately 50 times higher than it was one week ago.
  • President Trump issued an executive order to rename Lake Ontario to 'Lake America'.
  • MapQuest publicly stated it would not follow the executive order to rename the lake.
  • MapQuest launched a tool allowing users to rename the lake to their preference.
  • Google Maps updated its service to display 'Lake America' for U.S. users and 'Lake Ontario' for Canadian users.
  • Apple Maps updated its service to display 'Lake America' for some users as of Tuesday.
  • Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated the President contacted Apple directly regarding the name change.
  • The administration previously renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the 'Gulf of America' via executive order.

Who's Mentioned

organizationApple“Tech company that updated its maps to reflect the executive order”organizationGoogle“Tech company that updated its maps for U.S. users”personDoug Burgum“Interior Secretary”organizationMapQuest“Mapping service provider that refused the name change”personDonald Trump“President who issued the executive order”