Fact check: Did Google Maps 'remove' LOC and LAC from Jammu and Kashmir's map?

A message claiming that Google Maps has removed Line of Control (LOC) and Line of Actual Control (LAC) from the map of Jammu and Kashmir has gone viral on social media. The message is gaining traction amid heightened tensions between the neighboring countries after India's state-owned broadcasters Doordarshan and All India Radio began broadcasting weather reports on Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, and Gilgit in PoK in their prime-time news bulletins.

The message has gone viral on Twitter, Facebook, and Whatsapp.

Google has removed LOC from India's map. Its showing POK and Gilgit as part of India pic.twitter.com/tBMZyVxPaP

— Lavish Sharda ਲਵਿਸ਼ ਸ਼ਾਰਦਾ (@LavishSharda) May 7, 2020

Google map not showing LOC pic.twitter.com/NzVQRdKNvp

— Right (@TiwaryArunendra) May 8, 2020

The images shared along the message are real and not photoshopped although it should be noted that Google Maps doesn't show LOC and LAC only if viewed from India and this is not a new update. When seen from a foreign country, it shows Kashmir's outlines as a dotted line and includes LOC as well as LAC.

In an earlier statement about the same, Google had said, "Google has a consistent and global policy to depict disputed regions and features fairly, showing claims made by the disputed or claiming nations on its global domain."

"This does not endorse or affirm the position taken by any side. Products that have been localized to the local domain, such as maps.google.co.in, depicts that country's position as per the mandate of the local laws."

The same news was reported by Devdiscourse on February 15 as well.