My Timeline For My Google account Was Deleted before deadline ON 19th November by Google in a Automated process, Support requests made

[hamzabinwaseem]

I need assistance with Google Maps timeline restoration, that was removed from my account much earlier than the date shared in the email i.e timeline would be auto-deleted after 19th November, but my timeline was deleted on 19th November.

Following the email I had not opened the app before in it’s old version and updated it directly to the latest one on 19th November and then Clicking on Review and choose settings, I choose my account , Here I was shown timeline off , here I did turn Timeline On Again, which gave the latest date as visible in image and changed the Auto-Delete option which was off before but here it showed as 3 months , and I changed it again.

My data seems deliberately deleted even when I updated from the quite older Maps app version to the latest.

My account was signed in on 3 android devices, 1 main device and 1 other device which has been offline(not-powered on) since October 2024 and 1 other device.

My timeline settings have been since the beginning with Timeline as On and Auto-delete turned Off.

My main device had an old version of google maps app last updated in March 2024, but had not opened it in some months before the date 19th November. And Accepted on the date 19th November on my main device.

I also was able to access the Web Timeline in Chrome and did timeline edits on 18th November 2024 11:08 PM on desktop, even the Google Takeout exports on September 25, 2024, I mistakenly assumed that my “Location History (Timeline)” data would be included within the Maps category export, also performed another on November 18, 2024. Unfortunately, I did not select the “Location History (Timeline)” product/data for export during that aswell, else i would not be here, and this problem which is apparently with many users won’t get that much highlighted.

On 18th November 2024, the Second last day before deadline, I was still using the Maps Timeline on Web Access and had made Timeline edits, still here my Auto-Delete was Off.

There were more than one timeline edits made using the Web Access of Maps Timeline/Location History, ending day and time 18th November 2024 23:08 and on the very next day my Web Access of timeline was stopped

I had updated app before accepting the Review and Choose settings on 19th November 2024 the last date of accepting these changes. Please see my Google Maps Community post for more information context and see my multiple requests : MapsWeb Timeline Edit 18Nov,policy Changed on last day 19Nov, auto-delete GOT auto On, Visits Lost! - Google Maps Community

On 19th November When I updated the app;

• I opened the Maps app After updating the app only, on my main device.
• Opened the Maps App on 19th Nov following the Link in the email to review and choose settings.
• I was shown the option to select an account
• Here I selected my main account which showed timeline Off (no last date when it was on), it has been on since long and I have emails of timeline history.
• Turning it On gave the 19th November date, and auto delete was on here with 3 months selected, which has been off since long and this is well documented in my google account settings. I again set it as don’t auto delete. as per my previous settings.
• After this I saw my previous days and all my visits were lost here, I created a post on Maps Community Support and Here later I turned on Backup after I saw all my visits were lost.
• And then I activated Google one membership so I can talk to Google Support to help address and recover my UNJUSTLY DELETED DATA by GOOGLE.
• Lastly on my main device I have disconnected it from the Internet since 20th November 2024 and as of other devices one has been offline since then and One is offline/Maps App is Disabled so that nothing is transferring from it under Maps.

And the Latest Takeout export still shows the same deletion markers, and I am unable to restore my Timeline. Essentially, I am back to square one, facing the same problem I initially reported.

Furthermore, the Timeline On setting continues to display an incorrect time, despite the fact that it was already enabled since month May of 2017.

Did Timeline Edits using Web Access of Maps Timeline/Location History, ending day and time 18th November 2024 23:08 and on the very next day my Web Access of timeline was stopped on 19th November 2024 and I am still not able to see my Location history of any other day.

The email stated that " If you take no action, your visits and routes will be deleted, and your Timeline settings will be turned off after November 19, 2024. " Attached below

The above clearly states that deletion would occur after 19th November 2024, i.e. on 20th November 2024, if settings were not chosen, whereas The Tombstones.csv file (attached) in takeouts tell the initial deletion occurred on 19th November, under column

Delete Request Time UTC as
2024-11-19T04:40:48.681Z

This is well before the intimated time and not occured/initiated from the user end. Attached Whole Zip takeout file of Location History(Timeline) as exported on Nov 19, 2024, 2:15:32 PM PST . Learn more about Google archives and your deleted data (Deleted Data url is not linked properly here in Takeout export zip file

Latest Export

I would also like to inquire whether Google still retains a copy of my “Location History (Timeline)” data on its servers FROM BACKDATED BACKUP COPIES on the Servers etc of User PROFILE DATA, as I think as per Google privacy policy and Data Retention guidelines.
If so, I kindly request that you export this specific data for me. I understand that Google may retain data copies for a certain period, and I am hopeful that my “Location History (Timeline)” data falls within this retention window and would be on the BACKDATED BACKUP COPIES on the Servers essentially be recovered.

The deletion occurred before time and was not done from the user/MY end.
On time deletion would have been on 20th November but the deletion markers show deletion on 19th November, the deadline to Review and choose settings.
Hoping for restoration as data retention/privacy policy.

Looking forward to your responses

[itsalisyed]

@hamzabinwaseem i am facing the similar challenge. My timeline shows different data in my phones. I am using my accounts in three different cell phones and each phone shows a different timeline. can anyone assist from Google to assist us.

Thank you.

[hamzabinwaseem]

@itsalisyed you are atleast begin shown your timeline in devices, my all timeline data starting back before 2018 has been WRONGLY & PREMATURELY Completely deleted and no longer visible!

[itsalisyed]

i think @FalguniP can help us.

[hamzabinwaseem]

@FalguniP and others

Looking forward to your help!

cc: @AngieYC @Julie_A @MoniDi @DeniGu

[hamzabinwaseem]

One of my support cases is shown as
Case ID 5-7306000037684 and Legal Investigations Support ⋅ Other

Highlight is
As it was not deleted by me and there is a retention policy for this Google product in effect I would urge to look into this deeply.

Google’s retention policy does tell data can be restored and is kept for around 2 months or longer before complete deletion.

@FalguniP and others
Looking forward to your help and helping to restore this unjust deleted data!
cc: @AngieYC @MoniDi

[ErmesT]

@hamzabinwaseem
The place where to address your issue is the one where you already wrote: the Google Maps Help Community. Connect is related to the Local Guides program, and we are happy to help with issues related to the program, like photos and reviews, but not for technical issues related to the app, or one of his features.
Also kindly avoid to tag all the Google Moderators, it will not help you

[hamzabinwaseem]

Hi @ErmesT
Thank you for the insight, I would avoid tagging extra individuals.

I wanted to tag and post here as I have not been getting any positive or otherwise helpful responses over at the maps community aswell.

More over i saw a kind of similar post here linked below Google Maps Timeline Data Recovery

My issue is somewhat or more the same and atleast Googlers would be looking into the issue here, at the maps community there are only Maps ‘product experts’, not employees or those who might have access at Google.

Here’s hoping my issue isn’t a little one, would be taken up and this same has been faced by many individuals who use Google maps

Regards
Hamza

[hamzabinwaseem]

@ErmesT can you kindly please tag the relevant individuals as per the linked ones in the linked guides post ? => Google Maps Timeline Data Recovery

So that my issue which has been pending since 20th November on other google platforms and even (somewhat)direct contact via Google cases without a positive response, is finally addressed.

Regards

[ErmesT]

You already tagged the Google Moderators who responded in there, @hamzabinwaseem
The other person in the conversation is the same who responded to you on the Google Maps Help page, @cfanatic , who’s a Diamond Product Expert very active and with a high level of competency, that’s why I suggest you to follow the conversation in there. I am not sure he joined the new Connect already, if not he could miss my tag

[FalguniP]

@hamzabinwaseem just like @ErmesT mentioned this issue can be resolved only by Google maps community.
Diamond level product experts are Highly knowledgeable and can help you.
Sometimes things may take time.

In the meantime I would like to ask did you use back-up option on your map app? It could help if it’s turned on, moving forward you can change the settings and turn off auto-delete option.

[hamzabinwaseem]

Hi @FalguniP
Thank you for your response!

Ultimately the Google Maps Community responses aren’t that much aligned with the goal i.e. recovering it, as it was deleted pre-maturely. it was supposed to be deleted on 20th November 2024 but deletion occurred on 19th November 2024 UTC time as"
2024-11-19T04:40:48.681Z" this was exported from google takeout after accepting the timeline changes.
![image|690x387](upload://pu0qPHs0qxM9AvEHn85AzzOUjX8.png

@FalguniP

In the meantime I would like to ask did you use back-up option on your map app? It could help if it’s turned on, moving forward you can change the settings and turn off auto-delete option.

So here I would like to say, the back-up option in the Maps app was then enabled when I followed the Link in email to ‘Review and Choose Settings’
Initially, I had an older Map App version which was last updated Before April 2024, my timeline was still getting synced and the last timeline edits that I made was on 18th November 2024, just 1 day before the deadline date,(using timeline web access too) it was then updated on 19th November before clicking on the email to Review and choose settings.. And in the new version only the Back-up option started showing up..

The main issue is My data was deleted on the deadline date! Not after the fact.

It was clearly mentioned that timeline would be deleted after 19th November

The thing is

• Due to This When on the 19th November, when I first updated the app, then opened my Gmail email of Reminder to Review and Choose settings, when I Clicked on choose settings, I was shown to choose account,
• Upon selecting my main account ha*****@gmail.com
• My Timeline was shown as OFF and Auto-Delete was selected by default for 3 months.
• And here I turned Location History On again and Disabled Auto delete data.(as it was wrong, restored/selected as per previous settings)

My email only had the statement of Deletion after the 19th November but it still occurred on 19th! This is the main issue!
There was also no mention of timeline changing status and deletion of it in my email.

Moreover there was no place where it was mentioned. If no action is taken on the 19th, we will delete Timeline data on the 19th!

This is clearly not fair to the users!!

I need my unjust, before-time, Deliberately deleted Timeline, restored please !

Looking forward to your response, your take and support on this, Please!

Regards

[FalguniP]

I understand it’s difficult but sometimes it might be difficult to recover the deleted data @hamzabinwaseem

Alternatively you can try other ways and see if it helps you recover

*Go to https://takeout.google.com/
Select “Google Maps Timeline” and download your data.

This might contain your Timeline history from before the deletion.

Or try the other way

Go to your Google Account settings.
Navigate to “Data & personalization.”
Look for “Activity controls” and click “Manage Activity controls.”
Check if Location History is enabled and review the data. This might provide some insights, though it may not be as detailed as your Timeline.

That’s all I know about the recovery part.
Thank you

[cfanatic]

hi @ErmesT , thank you for alerting me.

hi @hamzabinwaseem , the answer is no different, unfortunately.

there is currently no process available to recover the timeline data, as far as i am aware.

for the moment, would suggest you continue to follow up with the open support case that you have.

[hamzabinwaseem]

Hi @FalguniP !
So the alternates are of no help to me, and they were not of help to me initially on 19th and 20th November aswell.
Also the Takeout on 19th November didn’t have my records of years and months, but it did have my edited timeline of last edits as attached above that I did on 18th November 11:08PM GMT+5

In the later takeouts that edit record json file was also removed.

The Manage Maps activity under activity controls OF Maps only has my visits or searches and if we viewed our timeline, that is only visible there but is not accessible or viewable as to what exactly happened on what day and what were the visits what routes were taken etc.

The recovery should be initiated from Google Admins or Googlers end, they should be alerted to this problem, @falguniP Kindly mention a Googler here to this problem

Auto-Delete from Googles’ Side was done on UTC 2024-11-19 T 04:40:48.681Z , but my device app update and action of “Review and Choose Settings” were carried were on GMT+5 2024-11-19 11:35 PM Screenshot of app update and time is attached below, tombstone file showing deletion prior to this time is also attached,

To reiterate, the deletion occurred before I made any changes to the app, such as updates or cache clearing. (none cleared)

I’ve shared the specific timeline of events multiple times, including the initial deletion time stamp, which predates any app modifications.

Please mention Googlers so that This can be taken up and also its in their purview and radar now due to you mentioning them

Kind Regards,
Hamza Waseem

[hamzabinwaseem]

Hi @cfanatic It was nice to see you responding here, by the mention of @ErmesT . I didn’t know you were also a part of this local guides aswell.

And while its really unfortunate that the responses are no different from the ones I have initially received.

The main concern is that Auto-Delete from Googles’ Side was done on UTC 2024-11-19 T 04:40:48.681Z , but my device app update and action of “Review and Choose Settings ” were carried were on GMT+5 2024-11-19 11:35 PM

And regarding the support cases that are open, I have not received a single response to my mentioned Case ID 5-7306000037684 which they termed as Legal Investigations Support

Its status gets changed from Last Updated 6 Days ago to updated after 2 days to Last updated 2 hours ago and so on. without getting a response. which has been going on for the past 25 days plus.

So I have to refer to Googlers so that this issue which is with approx a thousand and more users gets noticed and Googlers are able take a note of this, report it and also be able to provide a solution, ultimately.

Regards

[cfanatic]

hi @hamzabinwaseem , as far as i am aware, none of the people here or in the help forums can help you the way you would like. you need to find some other way.

[hamzabinwaseem]

Hi @cfanatic
Thank you for your response.

So, as i had shared about my cases that are pending responses for many weeks, approximately a month now, so in your opinion what should be done or what steps should be taken so that I should get a response to my case iDs that are not getting any responses as of late.

Regards.

[cfanatic]

hi @hamzabinwaseem , as i do not know how you created the case, i would not know whether that might work, or not.

believe i may have said it several times already - you may not get this resolved in the way you would like, or at all.

it is a bit like losing a piece of paper with some important information on it - maybe the phone number, email address and/or other contact information of a person you need to contact.

the piece of paper may have fallen out of your pocket, without you realising. someone has come along, seen it and believed it to be rubbish someone else failed to put into the bin, and has done it for that person.

a rubbish truck comes along, and empties the bin.

the piece of paper and the information on it are gone, and no way for you to get it back.

it is unfortunate, but there is nothing more you can do about it.

[hamzabinwaseem]

Hi @cfanatic ,so the support cases were created by contacting Google Support, providing a subject line, choosing product and then adding details. Which presented with call, chat and email option

I have made cases with using the chat , got a follow-up email.

And for the other Email and call option , I received response of it in email and got a case number.

So in general how could I get responses on the case iDs?
Please suggest and type away anything , a method etc, that might be able to give me a response on the email that have not been responded for a long time now ,

Thanks

And as always I don’t agree with the anology that you’ve made, if I had thrown something out then it would be strange to ask others for finding it. But as it was forcefully thrown out of my account before the committed time, in this sense my data/thrown important paper must be restored and be looked for.

To support the above, relevant records are available.

Thanks