Google Maps users have been increasingly reporting that their Timeline data has mysteriously disappeared. Google has now confirmed that the issue was caused by a "technical problem" rather than user error, and unfortunately, for some, this data cannot be recovered.
The Timeline feature in Google Maps tracks location history and is commonly used by people to remember places they’ve visited. However, due to a recent change in how the data is stored, this information has been lost permanently for certain users.
For those unaware of the recent shift, Google had been notifying users about a change in the way location data is stored. The Timeline data is now saved locally on devices rather than on Google’s servers. While this was generally welcomed by those concerned about privacy, users had to manually enable cloud backups to protect this data.
Google has provided few details about the exact cause of the issue, but in a statement, Genevieve Park from Google said, "We briefly experienced a technical issue that caused the deletion of Timeline data for some people. Nearly everyone with encrypted Timeline backups will be able to restore their data; unfortunately, those without backups enabled will not be able to recover lost data."
Google has begun emailing those affected, explaining how to recover Timeline data if a cloud backup is available. However, since the backup feature was not enabled by default, many users may find themselves unable to recover their lost data, leading to significant frustration.