Google Maps glitch: Is Google erasing memories?飞机盗号软件云控破解技术

March 25, 2025  18:47

A recent glitch in Google Maps has sparked alarm among users as their Timeline data—a log of visited places—vanished. This beloved feature has long been a go-to for tracking routes and reliving travel memories. But due to a technical error, some users have lost these records forever, leaving them in a state of dismay.

What Happened?

In recent days, a wave of complaints flooded Reddit as Google Maps users noticed their Timeline—the function that chronicles location history—had disappeared without a trace. For some, it felt like cherished memories of trips and outings were wiped out. Reports confirmed that users couldn’t find their data in the app, with maps showing no evidence of past journeys. Google later acknowledged that a technical snafu was to blame, affecting a subset of users.

In response, the company sent emails to those impacted, explaining the situation and outlining steps to recover lost data—but only if it had been encrypted and backed up to the cloud beforehand. For those who hadn’t enabled backups, restoration proved impossible.

What Data Was Lost?

The glitch led to the sporadic deletion of Timeline data. For some, it meant losing scattered entries; for others, entire stretches of travel history—spanning years—were erased. The lost data included location logs and personal markers of places visited and remembered.

Curiously, users with cloud backups activated could retrieve their records. Those who hadn’t turned on this option, however, were left with no way to reclaim their deleted logs.

How to Recover Lost Data?

For those with cloud backups enabled, Google provided clear recovery steps:

• Update Google Maps to the latest version.
• Navigate to “Your Timeline” in the app’s settings.
• Tap the cloud icon at the top and select a backup to restore your data.

But for users without backups, Google was blunt: recovery isn’t an option.

A Shift in Data Storage

This fiasco ties back to Google’s recent pivot in how Timeline data is stored. Previously, all location info lived in the cloud, making recovery feasible in emergencies. Now, the company has shifted to storing it locally on users’ devices or in encrypted cloud backups—a move aimed at bolstering privacy by keeping data off corporate servers.

Yet this new approach has a downside. Data is now vulnerable to loss from glitches or technical hiccups, as seen here. Without a backup system in place, users face heightened risks. Even exporting data to a file won’t help restore it to the app unless a cloud backup exists.

The incident underscores a trade-off: enhanced privacy comes with the catch of potential data fragility, leaving users to weigh convenience against preparedness.