Over a billion people use Google Maps each month to navigate the world. From traffic detours to locating restaurants, it’s become a default way of how we experience and interact with the world. But what if this go-to tool is doing more than just guiding you from point A to B?
Recent changes—like renaming the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America” and reverting “Mount Denali” back to “Mount McKinley”—have sparked debate. These updates weren’t accidental; they stem from political directives. But it isn’t just the name changes that are making people question things. It’s also the fact that Google is deleting negative reviews of the change.
While a name swap on a map might seem harmless, some researchers argue it could be much more significant. It could actually be a form of cognitive manipulation. But is Google Maps actually brainwashing us?
To answer that, we need to look at all the evidence. This whole idea is tied to a concept called extended cognition. First proposed in the late ‘90s, it suggests that our tools—especially digital ones—become part of how we think. Your phone doesn’t just help you remember where you’re going. It remembers for you. Over time, it replaces key mental functions like recall, spatial reasoning, and decision-making.
We’re already seeing how this affects humans thanks to AI’s reported impact on critical thinking skills, so it really isn’t that far outside the realm of possibilities to think that Google Maps might be capable of brainwashing us. Some researchers argue that if the app is effectively a part of our thinking process, then changes made without our awareness don’t just alter the app—they ultimately alter us.
And I think that’s the key here. Sure, most people know that the “Gulf of America” used to be the “Gulf of Mexico.” But, a lot of people are unhappy with the chance, and see it as kind of stupid. But because Google is actively deleting reviews that negativity talk about the change, its making it easier to feel like people are just accepting it.
Think about it. You glance at your map and see the “Gulf of America.” First, you stop to question it. Then your mind accepts it. So, then you repeat it. That’s not persuasion; it’s what scientists call passive influence. And that’s where the line between helpful technology and manipulation really starts to blur, researchers say.
The worry isn’t just about the political renaming of iconic locations on the map. It’s about who ultimately has control of how you experience the world. When the platforms we rely on to understand the world start editing that world, even subtly, we’re no longer fully in charge of our perception. In the language of tech ethicists, this isn’t guidance—it’s coercion dressed up as convenience.
As smartphones continue to evolve into extensions of our minds, concerns about Google Maps brainwashing its users are important to keep front and center. Plus, it perfectly highlights something we all need to keep in mind…
It’s easy to outsource thinking, but it’s just as easy to lose track of who’s doing the thinking for us, too.
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