Be careful if you use Google Maps, like many people. The application is preparing to make important changes which directly concern the management of your personal data.
Since its launch, Google Maps has become much more than just a navigation tool. For many, it is a digital logbook, recording every trip, every place visited. Indeed, the Timelines function (Your journeys, in French) allows users to retrace their routes, relive their past trips or recall memories using their smartphone’s GPS.
However, a major transformation is on the horizon. At the end of 2023, Google announced a complete overhaul of the management of location data in Maps. Until now, this information was stored in the cloud, accessible from any device connected to your Google account. This centralization facilitated synchronization between devices.
But this convenience came at a cost: confidentiality. Growing concerns about personal data protection have pushed Google to rethink its approach. From now on, geolocation data will only be kept locally on the user’s terminal. Additionally, only the last three months of history will now be kept by default. This development means that Google will no longer have access to our past movements, thus strengthening the protection of our privacy.
Since last November, users have regularly received emails from the firm to encourage them to quickly make a decision based on the function’s data. A reminder is sent again at the beginning of January, as we have seen, whether by e-mail or by notifications within the application. A period of six months is granted to decide on the management of our location data. It is therefore imperative to make a choice before the deadline, namely May 18, 2025, otherwise years of digital memories will be erased.
Note that from this date, automatic synchronization between different devices will no longer be possible. So, if we change phones or use multiple devices, the location data will not automatically follow us. Moreover, in the event of loss or breakdown of the device, without prior backup, this valuable information will disappear forever.
To preserve your data, it is recommended to save it locally and then manually transfer it to the new devices. To do this, click on the link included in the email (Choose settings) and you will then be redirected to your Google account settings. There you can then choose whether you want to save your timeline locally or not track it. You can also set whether your data should be automatically deleted after a certain time. Once your data is saved on the device, it will then be deleted from the cloud.
This transition, although restrictive, allows you to regain control over your personal information. This change means that Google no longer has your data in the clear and that third parties will no longer be able to access your travel history, even if they have access to your Google account. After editing, the data can only be found on your device.