MapQuest Refused to Rename Lake Ontario. Then 500,000 People Downloaded the App in 5 Days

Downloads for the navigation system spiked as users rallied behind MapQuest’s decision to keep the lake’s historic name.

President Donald Trump displays a map labeling Lake Ontario as “Lake America” in Washington, DC. Photo:

MapQuest is keeping the name of one lake the same. It’s decision to maintain the status quo may have given it a boost in business.

In late August, President Trump signed an executive

In late August, President Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America” following Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports. The order argues that the U.S. has made more significant contributions to the lake than Canada. “It is the policy of my Administration to recognize the extraordinary contributions of the American people and the rich heritage of our history by naming great natural landmarks for our shared achievements,” Trump said in a statement. 

In response to the new executive order, MapQuest, a digital navigation service, shared a picture of its map with the currently disputed body of water still named as “Lake Ontario,” and a caption stating, “We’re not changing it.” 

The response was immediate.

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“We clearly struck a chord with millions of people,” a spokesperson for MapQuest told Inc.  

According to TechCrunch, third-party data from Sensor Tower

According to TechCrunch, third-party data from Sensor Tower noted that MapQuest saw 184,000 global and 162,000 U.S. app downloads during the week beginning August 24. In the U.S., daily downloads were up 128 percent day-over-day from August 26 to August 30. 

MapQuest confirmed to Inc. that the platform has had an estimated 500,000 downloads from August 27 to August 31. Thousands of subscribers have also opted in for its ad-free subscription, the company said. 

Source: www.inc.com