When sharing my location via the Messages app, other people see a thumbnail with Chinese text for my location

I am so happy to see that someone else is having the same problem as me. I thought I was the only one. Sadly we're closer to solving it though. Now I at least know it doesn't relate to my specific location.

This is what happens when my girlfriend shares her location with me and I share mine back to her.

Today people are seeing a new Chinese location for me for the first time (see attached screenshot).

Earlier today I was still sending that random

Japanese restaurant location that I was sending last time I posted here.

I have not reset anything yet.

I am actually using my phone number in iMessage but Apple may or may not send the location with the Apple ID regardless of whether you’re using your phone number or not.

I don’t get any error message and everything works as expected except for the thumbnail.

I have reproduced this issue with four or five different people all of whom have different software installed. This is an Apple issue and has nothing to do with third-party software, it only happens with the stock Apple app messages.

I reset my location privacy settings today but still have the issue. My girlfriend makes fun of me saying “why are you at that Chinese food massage place again”.

Yes I have reset my location and privacy settings but it did not solve the issue.

It happens strangely both both when I share my locations to others (others see me in the Chinese foot spa) and when others share their location with me (I see them in the Chinese foot spa). However the name of the spa is simply the thumbnail which shows in-line in messages and when you click into the thumbnail you see the correct location on a map as expected.

I don’t see any map of the Chinese location so it’s hard to tell if it’s a Chinese business in the US or a Chinese business in China. I wonder if the GPS chip is manufactured in China and there’s some placeholder location data that comes up by default until the GPS chip gets a lock on our actual location or something similar.

I don’t have any messages apps installed or any Chinese apps. I’m sending it via the option where you go I to the contact info and click “share location” so it’s sending natively from apple’s app and not from a third party tool within messages.

You keep making the same comment about turning off apps in messages, and we keep telling you we have no apps installed in messages. This issue affects Apple's native "Messages" app while not using any third party apps or "messages apps" (add ons).

Interestingly my girlfriend searched for the new 3-character Chinese business name that shows up (Japanese restaurant) and she says a google search only returns one business with that name and it is in Hong Kong.

I'm about ready to file an Apple bug report on this one. Interesting that it's not just me. Please continue to chime in if others find this issue happening to them as well.