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Google changes Palestinian location from 'Territories' to 'Palestine'

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Google changes Palestinian location from 'Territories' to 'Palestine'

#21

Post by mpyne »

johneth wrote: post #8
wsc981 wrote: post #4

I don't think companies should take a stance on political issues, which is what Google is doing here. Would actually prefer companies have totally no influence on politics at all, but as we all know, that would be an utopia.

You do realise that however they refer to the region ('Palestine' or 'Palestinian Territories'), they're making a political statement. Their reasoning (following the example of multiple international organisations - including the UN, ICANN, and ISO) is sound.

And it's not just Google that's affected either.

Imagine making a desktop environment and e.g. showing a world map to select your time zone.

Or having a list of countries & regions to assist the user with localization. Seemingly any list of countries you show will "make a political statement" to someone out there. KDE, for example, had many bugs filed about the naming used for what the ISO calls the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedonia_naming_dispute

http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/country_codes/country_...

Re: Google changes Palestinian location from 'Territories' to 'Palestine'

#22

Post by dragonwriter »

potatolicious wrote: post #14
sp332 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maps really are just lines on paper. "A text change on a localized website" is all the power you need to recognize someone's authority.

True, though recognition of someone's authority is not "taking" authority at all, which is what OP was complaining about. One can make the argument that Google shouldn't be endorsing either side, but taking authority away from either they are not.

> One can make the argument that Google shouldn't be endorsing either side, but taking authority away from either they are not.

Referring to Palestine as an entity is (an act certain to be seen, especially by the other side, as) endorsing one sides position.

Not referring to Palestine as an entity in and of itself but instead referring to "Palestinian Territories" is also (an act certain to be seen, especially by the other side, as) endorsing one sides position.

Even having or not having a .ps localized site would meet that description.

There really is nothing with regard to the whole Israel/Palestine issue that is not going to be seen as endorsing one side or the other.

Re: Google changes Palestinian location from 'Territories' to 'Palestine'

#23

Post by minopret »

dragonwriter wrote: post #16
wsc981 wrote: post #4

I don't think companies should take a stance on political issues, which is what Google is doing here. Would actually prefer companies have totally no influence on politics at all, but as we all know, that would be an utopia.

> I don't think companies should take a stance on political issues, which is what Google is doing here. Every possible choice of wording for anything having to do with the area of land bounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt involves taking a stance on a contentious political issue. I don't think corporations (or anyone else) should avoid making such choices because they inherently require…

My maps show Lebanon with Syria to the north and east, the Mediterranean Sea to the west. I imagine yours do also.

Re: Google changes Palestinian location from 'Territories' to 'Palestine'

#24

Post by praptak »

mpyne wrote: post #21
johneth wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You do realise that however they refer to the region ('Palestine' or 'Palestinian Territories'), they're making a political statement. Their reasoning (following the example of multiple international organisations - including the UN, ICANN, and ISO) is sound.

And it's not just Google that's affected either. Imagine making a desktop environment and e.g. showing a world map to select your time zone. Or having a list of countries & regions to assist the user with localization. Seemingly any list of countries you show will "make a political statement" to someone out there. KDE, for example, had many bugs filed about the naming used for what the ISO calls the Former Yugoslav R…

Redhat actually removed Taiwan from KDE's list of locales to please PRC: http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2002/10/6/173153/329

Re: Google changes Palestinian location from 'Territories' to 'Palestine'

#25

Post by BrianEatWorld »

Part of me (the part that watches Better Off Ted) thinks this is just another change along the lines of the recent Gmail minimalism.

The new logo which drops the word "territories" looks much cleaner and switching to Palestine from Palestinian really tightens things up.

Re: Google changes Palestinian location from 'Territories' to 'Palestine'

#26

Post by rhizome »

ceejayoz wrote: post #9
wsc981 wrote: post #4

I don't think companies should take a stance on political issues, which is what Google is doing here. Would actually prefer companies have totally no influence on politics at all, but as we all know, that would be an utopia.

> "In this case, we are following the lead of the UN, Icann, ISO and other international organisations." Sounds like this was the less political choice, really.

Not if, like OP, you define "political" as, "different than my preference."

Re: Google changes Palestinian location from 'Territories' to 'Palestine'

#27

Post by MacsHeadroom »

raimondious wrote: post #17
ars wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The point is that these days having Google recognize your claims to being a country is more important than having the UN recognize it (which it doesn't, yet Google does).

When the UN recognizes Palestine, it will be much more significant than Google's copy change.

Notice Google said "In this case, we are following the lead of the UN, Icann, ISO and other international organisations."

Not only does the UN recognize Palestine as a state. But ICANN, ISO, and other international standards organizations do too.

Re: Google changes Palestinian location from 'Territories' to 'Palestine'

#28

Post by MacsHeadroom »

youngerdryas wrote: post #7

I hereby declare Quebec free.

> "In this case, we are following the lead of the UN, Icann, ISO and other international organisations."

Maybe corporations will start to recognize Quebec as free when the UN, ICANN, ISO, and a handful of other apolitical organizations do too, as is the case with the officially recognized state of Palestine.

Re: Google changes Palestinian location from 'Territories' to 'Palestine'

#29

Post by CatMtKing »

sp332 wrote: post #6
wsc981 wrote: post #4

I don't think companies should take a stance on political issues, which is what Google is doing here. Would actually prefer companies have totally no influence on politics at all, but as we all know, that would be an utopia.

How could Google avoid taking a stance? Either they call it one thing or the other. Or they could call every contested bit of land Narnia but then no one would be happy with them.

I agree. The domain name is already in political territory. Maybe if domain names were by language instead of location...

Re: Google changes Palestinian location from 'Territories' to 'Palestine'

#30

Post by gngeal »

sp332 wrote: post #6
wsc981 wrote: post #4

I don't think companies should take a stance on political issues, which is what Google is doing here. Would actually prefer companies have totally no influence on politics at all, but as we all know, that would be an utopia.

How could Google avoid taking a stance? Either they call it one thing or the other. Or they could call every contested bit of land Narnia but then no one would be happy with them.

"How could Google avoid taking a stance? Either they call it one thing or the other."

Perhaps avoiding taking a stance could take the form of following the current practice of major players (UN and others)...?

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