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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

Google Maps to Store Location Data On-Device for Privacy

Google Maps to Store Location Data On-Device for Privacy
Author Image Hendrik Human
Hendrik Human Published on 9th June 2024 Cybersecurity Researcher

Google Maps will transition its Timeline feature from cloud-based to on-device storage by December 1, 2024. The feature, previously known as Location History, tracks routes and visits. It will now link this information to individual devices instead of cloud-based Google accounts.

This change was first announced in December 2023, giving users time to save their travel history to their devices before the shift. However, Google recently sent out an email to users, highlighting the deadline to manually transfer travel data before it’s automatically deleted.

When the change comes into effect, users will no longer be able to access their Timeline via the web. Instead, travel history from the past 90 days will migrate to the first device a user signs into, with older data being deleted. Users must enable the new Timeline settings on their mobile devices to continue using the feature. Settings can also be adjusted to keep location data until manual deletion or have Google auto-delete it after 3, 18, or 36 months.

In its current form, Timeline stores a variety of location information on each user’s Google Account, even if Location History is turned off. According to Google’s notice, “This activity can include info about your location from your device’s general area and IP address.”

Lately, Google has taken several steps to improve the privacy of its services. It recently started deleting sensitive locations, such as abortion clinics, domestic violence shelters, weight loss centers, and more, in an effort to prevent authorities from tracking this information. Now, by limiting data storage to devices, Google further minimizes the risk of sensitive information being accessed or misused.

Users can update their Timeline settings by opening Google Maps on their mobile device, selecting their profile picture, and navigating to Your Timeline. Additional controls allow users to also delete activity information from specific Google apps, like the Play Store, News, Translate, and more.

This news comes amid heightened concern about how AI and cloud-based technologies threaten user privacy. For example, Microsoft recently announced its new Recall feature, which creates a searchable history of user activity by taking screenshots of their active screen every 3 seconds.

About the Author

Hendrik is a writer at vpnMentor, specializing in VPN comparisons and user guides. With 5+ years of experience as a tech and cybersecurity writer, plus a background in corporate IT, he brings a variety of perspectives to test VPN services and analyze how they address the needs of different users.