Google has recently made headlines due to adjustments in its online calendar service, particularly concerning the removal of default cultural observances and holidays. Users have reported that significant events such as Pride Month and Black History Month are no longer automatically featured in both desktop and mobile versions of Google Calendar.

Understanding the Changes

The modifications gained traction within online discussions over the past week, especially with critical observances approaching. Google’s decision was revealed to have been initiated mid-last year. Historically, the tech giant manually incorporated a variety of cultural moments worldwide, augmenting the public holidays data sourced from timeanddate.com, which has been a staple for Google Calendar for over a decade.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Google acknowledged that maintaining a comprehensive and consistent list of hundreds of cultural observances globally was becoming increasingly impractical. The company stated, “Maintaining hundreds of moments manually and consistently globally wasn’t scalable or sustainable.” Accordingly, Google reverted its calendar to include only public holidays and national observances from timeanddate.com from mid-2024 onwards, while enabling users to add other significant moments themselves.

Omissions Noted by Users

While Google has not disclosed a comprehensive list of the cultural events that were removed, affected users on social media and community forums have pointed out specific observances that no longer appear by default. Notable omissions include:

• First day of Pride Month
• First day of Black History Month
• Start of Indigenous Peoples Month
• Hispanic Heritage Month
• Holocaust Remembrance Day

The Verge was among the first to report these changes, highlighting the growing concern regarding representation and inclusivity in such digital platforms.

Additional Updates from Google

In conjunction with the calendar updates, Google has also faced scrutiny over recent alterations to place names on Google Maps. Following directives from the Trump administration, the name “Gulf of Mexico” has been revised to “Gulf of America,” and Denali has reverted to its former name, Mt. McKinley, on Google Maps. Google commented, “We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.” Currently, users in the U.S. will see the name “Gulf of America,” while international users will still have access to both name variations. Denali retains its official name on both Google Maps and the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).

These geographic name changes coincide with Google’s recent decision to reevaluate its diversity hiring goals, aligning with broader industry trends in response to new executive orders that influence diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. As a governmental contractor, Google is assessing its required modifications.