Algiers – In a moment of acute embarrassment for Moroccan propaganda efforts, Google has refuted claims promoted by the Moroccan regime regarding alleged changes to its maps concerning Western Sahara. The incident follows the recent UN Security Council resolution on the long-standing dispute.
After the Security Council vote, a wave of celebratory, yet ultimately unfounded, posts circulated on Moroccan social media. These posts asserted that Google had removed the dotted lines separating Morocco and Western Sahara on its maps, interpreting this as international recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the contested territory.
However, this narrative was swiftly undermined by a Google spokesperson who, in a statement to Agence France-Presse, unequivocally stated: “We have not made any changes regarding Morocco and Western Sahara on Google Maps.” The spokesperson clarified that the company adheres to its established policy of displaying different maps depending on the user’s geographic location when dealing with disputed territories.
The Google representative further elaborated on the detail that exposed the Moroccan claims: “People using maps outside of Morocco see Western Sahara and the dotted lines,” while “those using it in Morocco do not see them.” This confirms that what Moroccan users observed was not a new development supporting their claims, but rather a long-standing policy implemented by Google.
This disinformation campaign appears to be an attempt by the Moroccan regime to capitalize on a misinterpretation of the recent UN Security Council resolution. The resolution addresses self-governance with the right to self-determination for the Sahrawi people. While the resolution garnered support from 11 nations, with three abstentions and Algeria declining to participate, it does not alter the legal status of the territory, which the United Nations continues to classify as a “non-self-governing territory.”
The Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony until 1975, has been at the center of a dispute between Morocco and the Polisario Front for half a century. Morocco controls the majority of the territory. The international community has yet to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.
