Google has made a non-apology to users after deleting their timeline data, leaving some users without access to their curated data forever. The issue was first reported on March 11, when users discovered that their timeline data had been deleted. Google initially remained silent, but eventually sent an email explaining the technical issue and providing steps for those with encrypted backups to restore their data.
However, for those who did not have backups enabled, the company stated that lost data would be unrecoverable. The non-apology email from Google acknowledged users’ frustration but emphasized that changes are being made to improve systems and prevent similar issues in the future.
The issue is now compounded by a warning of planned changes that could also delete the Google Maps Timeline feature altogether. Users have until May 18 to make changes, including updating their device’s Google Maps app and changing privacy settings to avoid losing timeline data.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2025/03/23/google-confirms-user-data-deletion-error-who-is-impacted-what-to-do