Google has confirmed that a technical issue caused the deletion of timeline data for some Google Maps users, affecting those who had not enabled cloud backups, according to a recent report by The Verge.

A Google spokesperson, Genevieve Park told The Verge that nearly all users with encrypted timeline backups should be able to restore their data. However, those without backups enabled will not be able to recover the lost information. 

The issue, which was widely reported on platforms like Reddit, resulted in users losing their historical location data within the app.

Users who received an email from Google regarding the issue were provided with instructions on how to restore their data if they had previously activated cloud backups.

Google had previously announced a shift to on-device storage for Maps location history, offering users more privacy by keeping their data off Google's servers. While this change reduced data tracking concerns, it also introduced the risk of data loss if users did not proactively enable cloud backups.