Google has been in the headlines of late as planned data deletion deadlines impacting Gmail account holders and Google Maps users get ever closer. These deletions, with solid security reasoning behind them, are one thing, but when your data just disappears and can’t be restored using your backups, that’s quite another.
The Google Maps Timeline Data Deletions—Planned And Out Of The Blue
Google users should already be aware of the impending deletion of Google Maps Timeline data if no action is taken before May 18, given that notifications warning of a change to how the feature works have been sent out in plenty of time. The latest email to arrive in my Gmail inbox, March 6, from Google confirmed that “You need to choose new settings to avoid losing Timeline data.” It explained that a failure to update the Maps app and change my privacy settings would result in all saved visit and route data being deleted. As I said at the time, “This is actually a good thing, from both a security and privacy perspective,” because it means Google is moving the feature from its cloud servers to your smartphone, bringing the security and privacy protections that provides with it.
Unplanned data deletions, of your Google Maps Timeline, however, are quite a different story. And it’s this tale that is being told on the Google Maps subreddit, as first spotted by the newshounds over at 9to5Google. “I opened Google Maps to view my timeline,” one Redditor proclaimed, “to see what time I left work to put in my hours, and all of my timeline history was completely ******* gone.” Another posted that “Every single day for the last 3+ years just disappeared… and I can’t load my local backup, only the option to delete it.” Numerous other users have taken to these threads, and others, to complain that the exact same thing has happened to their Google Maps Timelines.
What isn’t clear is whether this is impacting just some users of specific devices under certain conditions, or is a more widespread issue. Nor, at this time, do we know if this is a bug that has actually deleted the data as suggested, which would be of great concern from a security perspective, or is just giving that impression through not displaying the Timeline data. There are some suggestions within the numerous postings on Reddit that this could be an issue with Google One and Google support is working on a fix, but there is nothing official as of yet. I have reached out to Google for a statement regarding the disappearing Google Maps Timeline data and will update this evolving story as soon as I know more.
