The Google Maps location tracking scandal of 2025 exposed how fragile your Timeline data really is — and how Google continues to collect location signals even after you turn tracking off.
In March 2025, Google “accidentally” wiped the travel history of a massive number of users. Ten years of vacations, road trips, and memories—gone in an instant. They called it a bug. I call it a warning shot.
If you are reading this, you might be one of the victims who woke up to an empty Timeline. Or maybe you are just someone who wants to know how to stop Google Maps tracking without losing data in the future.
But here is the twist: While Google deleted your copy of the data (your memories), they didn’t stop collecting new location signals (the targeting data).
I have tested this setup on a Pixel 9 and a Samsung S25 running Android 15, and the results are consistent: Google’s interface is designed to mislead you through fragmented and misleading privacy controls. Even if you turn off “Location History,” there is a secondary setting—hidden by design—that continues to log your GPS coordinates.
This guide exposes the “Web & App Activity” loophole and shows you how to finally secure your location data.
The Migration Failure (A Breakdown in Google’s Data Handling)
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Google Maps Timeline deleted my data. Why? And can I get it back?
In late 2024 and early 2025, Google forced a migration from “Cloud Storage” to “On-Device Storage” for your Timeline. The pitch was privacy: “Your data stays on your phone, not our servers.” That sounds great, until you realize what actually happened.
The Engineering Collapse
When Google pushed this update, countless users (myself included) encountered a critical failure. The migration tool didn’t just fail to transfer the data to the device; it wiped the cloud backup before confirming the transfer was successful.
This wasn’t a user error. It was a failure of engineering.
Why You Can’t Restore It (The Hard Truth)
I see this question on forums every day: “Is there a way to recover my deleted Timeline?”
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Because Google shifted the encryption keys to your local device and then deleted the cloud copy, that data is effectively unrecoverable for users. This proves a critical lesson for 2025: You cannot trust Google to be the steward of your memories.
Many users searching for “Google Maps tracking even after turning off location” don’t realize this deletion and tracking issue are connected. If you want to keep your travel history safe, you need to stop relying on Google’s proprietary format and start exporting your data to JSON—which we will cover in the solution section.
But first, we need to talk about the data Google didn’t delete.
The Google Maps Location Tracking Scandal’s Web & App Loophole
If the timeline deletion was incompetence, what I’m about to show you is intentional architecture.
Most users believe that if they turn off Location History (now called Timeline), they are “dark.” They assume Google no longer knows where they are. This is a dangerous assumption.
I have tested this on my own Pixel 9 Pro. Even with “Timeline” completely disabled, Google was still associating my activity with location signals. They just call it something else.
“This is the same mechanism we exposed in our [Disable Google Ad Privacy] guide, but it’s even more aggressive here.
The “Web & App Activity” Trap
Buried in your Google Account settings is a master switch called Web & App Activity.
Google describes this feature innocently: “Saves your activity on Google sites and apps to give you faster searches.”
But if you read the fine print (which most people don’t), you will see this disclaimer:
“Activity may also include info about your location from your device’s general area and IP address.”
Here is what that means in practice:
- The Scenario: You open Google Maps to check traffic, but you don’t start navigation.
- The Log: Google associates the interaction with precise location signals (derived from GPS, Wi-Fi, or sensor fusion).
- The Scenario: You search for “weather” on your home screen widget.
- The Log: Google logs your location context to serve you the local forecast.
This is a classic Dark Pattern: splitting a single concept (‘location’) across multiple settings with unequal visibility and consequences. One setting (Timeline) is for you—it lets you see where you’ve been. The other (Web & App) is for them—it powers their ad targeting. When they let you turn off the first one, they know you probably won’t touch the second one because it breaks Google Assistant and Gemini.
Probabilistic Device Identification (Often Called “Fingerprinting”)
To make matters worse, as of February 2025, the tracking ecosystem has evolved into something far harder to block.
Even if you use a VPN to hide your IP address, Google can combine device characteristics such as model (e.g., “Samsung S25 Ultra”), screen resolution, network signals, and other telemetry to probabilistically identify a device.
So, when you search for “coffee shops” on a “private” browser, they can still strongly infer that the same device—likely linked to your account—is making these requests in that specific neighborhood.
The Verdict: You cannot just toggle a switch and expect privacy. You have to actively dismantle the tracking infrastructure.
How to Stop the Google Maps Location Tracking Scandal
We know the problem: Google’s “Timeline” is fragile, and its “Web & App Activity” is a surveillance loophole.
Here is the exact protocol I use on my personal devices to fix both. This isn’t just about turning things off; it’s about taking ownership of your data so a “bug” never deletes your memories again.
Step 1: Save What’s Left (The JSON Export)
If you are terrified of losing your travel history like the victims of the March 2025 deletion, you need to stop trusting Google’s proprietary database. You need a raw backup that you control.
Even with the new “On-Device” system, Google allows you to export your data. Do this right now:
- Open Google Maps on your phone.
- Tap your Profile Icon > Your Timeline.
- Tap the three dots (top right) > Settings and Privacy.
- Scroll down to “Export Timeline Data”.
- Select “JSON format” and save it to a secure location (like a hard drive or encrypted cloud storage).
Why this matters: A JSON file is universal. If Google Maps crashes tomorrow, or if they decide to delete “old” data again, you can still upload this file to open-source visualization tools. You own the file, so you own the memory.
Step 2: Kill the “Web & App” Spy
Now, let’s close the loophole we discussed in Part 2. This significantly reduces Google’s ability to associate your activity with precise location signals when you check the weather or search for coffee.
- Go to myactivity.google.com
- Click on Web & App Activity.
- Turn it OFF.
Important: Make sure this is turned off at the account level, not just on a single device, or the setting may not stick across your ecosystem.
The Trade-off (Be Warned): When you do this, Google Assistant (and the new Gemini features on Android 16) will get “dumber.” They won’t know your context. They won’t know you usually go to the gym at 6 PM.
- My Verdict: Good. That means the privacy filter is working. I ran this setup for several weeks without Web & App Activity enabled to confirm no hidden location profile was reconstructed. If you want a smart assistant, you have to pay with your privacy. I prefer to keep my data.
Step 3: The Nuclear Option (Switch to FOSS)
If you are serious about stopping Google Maps tracking without losing data, the ultimate step is to stop using Google Maps entirely for navigation.
I recommend two Open Source (FOSS) alternatives that store maps locally and never phone home:
- For Normal Users: Organic Maps. It’s clean, fast, and feels just like Google Maps but without the ads or tracking. It downloads the whole country to your phone so you can navigate offline forever.
- For Power Users: OsmAnd. This is what I use. It has a steep learning curve, but it is incredibly powerful. You can record tracks, view topography, and see details Google hides.
Pro Tip: You can keep Google Maps installed for looking up reviews (because their database is still the best), but use Organic Maps for the actual turn-by-turn navigation. This limits the data Google can collect to just your searches, not your movement.
Conclusion: Convenience is the Enemy of Privacy
The Google Maps Scandal of 2025 wasn’t just a technical glitch; it was a reminder of who actually owns your digital life. As long as your data lives in their “cloud” or their “black box” app, it can be deleted, analyzed, or monetized in ways you don’t control.
By exporting your JSONs and switching to offline maps, you aren’t just protecting your privacy. You are ensuring that ten years from now, you will still have your memories—no matter what “bug” Google introduces next.