In an effort to poke fun at U.S. President Donald Trump, an online prankster was able to add a new Google Maps name to the troubled Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
The new name – “Ozaawiminaanzo Inini Reflecting Pool” – is meant to be an Ojibwe translation of the words “orange-coloured man.”
Google Maps allows users to make edits and add places, which are then reviewed by an automated moderation system and human reviewers.
The “orange-coloured man” edit was visible for hours after it was reportedly accepted by Google Maps on Monday. By Tuesday afternoon, it had been removed.
In a Canada-themed forum on Reddit, an anonymous user took credit for adding a second name to the Washington, D.C., landmark.
“OMG My place edit was actually accepted by Google’s moderators!” the Reddit user claimed on Monday.
“I don’t know how long this will last before someone notices and someone in D.C. has it removed, so when it shows up sometime in the next 22 hours, please leave a review of your experience visiting the Ozaawiminaanzo Inini Reflecting Pool!”
More than 100 reviews were left for the “historical landmark” before it was removed from Google Maps.
CTVNews.ca has reached out to the anonymous Reddit user for comment. Google did not immediately respond to a request for a statement.
Amid trade tensions with Canada, Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” which has been met with widespread condemnation from Canadians, as well as Trump’s opponents in the U.S.
While Canadians still see Lake Ontario labelled on Google Maps, the “Lake America” name is now visible for U.S. and international users.
Meanwhile, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has become a sore point for Trump, after algae blooms and peeling paint followed a botched multimillion dollar renovation.
