Map Spelling a Thing for Google Part 1
August 3, 2016
I read “Russia Decries Google’s Use Of Ukrainian Spellings for Crimean Places.” I know that the Google smart software operates without humans, well, most of the time except when it does not. According to the objective write up:
Google Maps has adopted Ukrainian versions of some 900 place names in Crimea in line with a “decommunization” law Kyiv passed last year.
Russia is not happy. The Russian Minister of Communications Nikolai Nikiforov allegedly said:
“I think it’s a short-sighted policy.[I hope] the mistake is corrected. If Google pays so little attention to Russian law and the names of Russian localities then it will not be able to do business effectively on Russian territory.”
Perhaps the minister does not understand the Google smart software approach to name conventions? Personally I think Google Maps should present place names in Kentucky’s version of English. I know this is a minority position. My hunch is that Google will use its China tactic and tell Russia what to do. That works pretty well.
Stephen E Arnold, August 3, 2016
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