Some Google Maps users have had a nasty surprise when they opened their app in recent days: no trace of their previous journeys has disappeared. This famous journey history, called Timeline, has simply vanished. Google has just confirmed that a bug has indeed caused the deletion of this data, but only some users can hope to recover it.
A Google bug erases location history
Reported earlier this month, the issue has finally been acknowledged by Google spokesperson Genevieve Park, who describes it as a "temporary technical issue." which resulted in the deletion of Timeline data for some users. For those who had enabled encrypted cloud backups, don't panic: their past trips should be able to be restored. However, if this option was not enabled, the data is lost for good.
This is a bad time. Google had just announced in the summer Google has made a significant change: location history is now saved directly to devices, instead of being stored on its servers. This is a good choice for those who want to keep control of their data, but it comes with a major problem: without online backup, the slightest technical error can cause your entire history to disappear.
How to know if your journeys are still accessible
It all depends on your settings. If you want to check if your Timeline is backed up to the cloud, open Google Maps on your phone, tap your profile picture, then tap "Your journeys." At the top of the screen, a small cloud appears:
- If it contains an arrow, backup is enabled;
- If it is crossed out, your journeys are only saved locally… and therefore exposed to bugs.
Some users have received an email from Google explaining how to recover their data via cloud backups. But for others, no method is offered. Although it is possible to manually export your location data, Google does not currently allow you to reintegrate it into the application.
Source: The Verge
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