Apple has sparked controversy

The change was made specifically for US-based users, while those in Canada will continue to see the lake's original name displayed. The move comes after Washington imposed new 50% tariffs on $20bn worth of Canadian goods, sparking a backlash on social media from rival technology giant Google.

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Google had recently made similar

Google had recently made a similar switch for its users in the US, but faced criticism online. Canada has responded to Washington's levies

Carney had urged the Trump administration to be more serious and engage in constructive discussions before talks can restart. The president has also used social media to promote the name change, posting AI-generated videos featuring himself kicking over a Lake Ontario sign and replacing it with "Lake America".

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At the lake itself, Canada has installed a new sign with the words "Lake Ontario. Now and Always", in an effort to remind anyone who might forget that the lake's original name remains unchanged.

The move has been met with resistance from some map providers, including MapQuest, which stated on Facebook that it will not be changing its display of Lake Ontario. The platform recently rose to the top of the most-downloaded free applications in the Canadian Apple App Store.