Google Maps accidentally deleted the Timeline from some users

Google Maps users began reporting a few days ago that their Timeline data had vanished and now a Google official confirmed it had been destroyed.

A Google official stated that the inadvertent deletion was caused by a technical error, but anyone who did not have backups enabled will be unable to recover their data. This is unfortunate for affected customers because the Timeline function is all about keeping track of where you've been over long periods of time.

Needless to say, for those who enjoy travelling and use Google Maps to identify interesting places, losing years of Timeline data might be devastating. You could think it's even worth an apology, but based by the spokesperson's response, Google disagrees. The full published version merely states:

We briefly experienced a technical issue that caused the deletion of Timeline data for some people. Nearly everyone with encrypted Timeline backups will be able to restore their data; unfortunately those who did not have backups enabled will not be able to recover lost data.

If your Timeline data has vanished but you have backups enabled, you can restore it by clicking the cloud symbol in the Your Timeline menu.