Iran Threatens Legal Action Against Google For Not Labeling Gulf 'Persian'

New submitter PantherSE writes with an article at CNN about the geopolitical importance of labeling, excerpting thus: "Iran has threatened legal action against Google for not labeling the Persian Gulf on its maps. 'Toying with modern technologies in political issues is among the new measures by the enemies against Iran, (and) in this regard, Google has been treated as a plaything,' Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Thursday, according to state-run Press TV. He added that 'omitting the name Persian Gulf is (like) playing with the feelings and realities of the Iranian nation.'"

Comments

Seems so 1995...

[adjuster]

Back in Windows 95 you could click on your country on the world map to set the time zone. A border dispute caused complaints to Microsoft and they removed the feature (http://blogs.msdn.com/b/oldnewthing/archive/2003/08/22/54679.aspx). This reminds me of that, only sillier.

Re:What's missing?

[Colonel Korn]

Is the Persian Gulf unlabeled? Is it labeled "Gulf" (sounds stupid, but no reason for a lawsuit)? Is it labeled something else?

It's labeled Israeli Freedom Pond.

Do they mean ...

[PPH]

... the Qatar Yacht Basin?

US Government Does it Too

[perry64]

I was in the Navy, and after the Shah fell and Iran became a thorn in the side of the U.S., we stopped calling it the Persian Gulf and started calling it the Arabian Gulf. It's still called that by the Navy and U.S. Government to this day.

As it's bordered roughly on half by Arabian countries and half by Persian (Iran), there's a strong case for either.

I looked on Google Maps and there isn't a name now, although I don't know if that was that way prior to Iran's actions.

Re:US Government Does it Too

[0racle]

Persian Gulf Veterans would like to have a word with you.

Persian Gulf naming dispute

"In recent years, due to increased cooperation with Arab states of the Persian Gulf, various branches of the U.S. armed forces have issued directives to their members to use the "Arabian Gulf" when operating in the area ("Persian Gulf" is still used in official publications and websites), partially to follow local conventions, or simply to follow local laws that ban the use of "Persian Gulf", e.g. in the United Arab Emirates."

As it's bordered roughly on half by Arabian countries and half by Persian (Iran), there's a strong case for either.

Well I suppose if you ignore everything else, including the fact that up until the 60's those Arabian countries were perfectly fine with the name, then yes, they have just a strong claim.

It has been called the Persian Gulf since around 550 BC.

Re:What's missing?

[Eevee]

Yet, a Google Maps search for the Persian Gulf takes you right to the unlabeled gulf, while searching for Arabian Gulf doesn't.

Turkey threatened HP over Kurdish Language

[Anonymous Coward]

I used to work for HP, and the Turkish government threatened to ban our Debian-based thin clients because one of the language options with Kurdish. Apparently, the Turks are so sensitive about the Kurds that even having the language option appear in the list was unacceptable within their country. They refuse to acknowledge the Kurds, so they try to wipe out any evidence within Turkey that they ever existed, past or present.

Re:Persian vs Arabian

[Anonymous Coward]

In your case, there still is no English language at all.

Re:Persian vs Arabian

[shutdown -p now]

It is not the only such place, either - Sea of Japan is unlabeled as well (I assume because Korea takes an issue with that label, preferring to call it "Eastern Sea").

Google vs. nationalist stupidity

[Vintermann]

Oh, the many ways to provoke a nationalist!

I used to hang out on the Google translate forum. Every week there would be some loony nationalist who was deeply offended that

* His language was not implemented (Turks, mostly)
* His language was not implemented to his satisfaction (Lithuanians in particular. "Our language is the most complex in the world!")
* An "enemy" language was implemented ("Macedonian is not a language! It is a dialect of Bulgarian!" - said by Greeks)
* Their national anthem inexplicably got the words "God Save The Queen" inserted into them (an Irishman, memorably)
* etc.

In any case, the only explanation which they would accept was a deep conspiracy at Google to taunt and slight their proud nations.

Re:Persian vs Arabian

[poity]

Makedonsky was nothing. Genghis Mongolovski was more greater. Guess who he fighted? The EVERYBODY! He maked Turks very pride, so now Persian jealous and not call it real name, Mongol Gulf.