Google loses data

[Geffers]

Google totally loses customers' data.

Got an email from Google today, first paragraph as follows:

We briefly experienced a technical issue that caused the deletion of Timeline data for some people. We're reaching out as your account may have been impacted..

This 'technical issue' has caused the deletion of data with NO BACK UP by Google. This is not a data breach, this is a complete loss of data.

Now losing details of where you have been, or bookmarks of locations you have visited is not the end of the World but Google, one of the biggest companies in the World has completely lost customers' data, now imaging if this happens to your BANK.

Geffers

 

[Retro]

Not had this message, but it might yet reach me. Sounds worrying, doesn't it?

 

[live627]

That technical issue could be a Windows update.. My Mom's computer lost its sound after one last month. As in, gone.

 

[Retro]

Were you able to fix it?

 

[live627]

Ha! I am not considered "Family IT Technomage"; that misfortune is on my younger brother, who has moved out three years ago. They never did get that chip back; it probably died on its own and the update was a red herring: not even the bios can find it.

 

[Retro]

Oh dear, that's unfortunate. Looks like you've had a lucky escape there lol. Just feign incompetence and you're ok.

 

[Geffers]

Google totally loses customers' data.

Got an email from Google today, first paragraph as follows;

We briefly experienced a technical issue that caused the deletion of Timeline data for some people. We're reaching out as your account may have been impacted..

Not had this message, but it might yet reach me. Sounds worrying, doesn't it?

Did say for some people so maybe you are not affected.

 

[Retro]

Possibly.

 

[Astro What]

Now losing details of where you have been, or bookmarks of locations you have visited is not the end of the World but Google, one of the biggest companies in the World has completely lost customers' data, now imaging if this happens to your BANK.

I doubt banks have to keep the number of transactional processes that Google does for location/bookmark data of their users.

 

[Geffers]

I doubt banks have to keep the number of transactional processes that Google does for location/bookmark data of their users.

Data is data, they are all ones and zeros. They recently sent advice that this data was soon to only be available via mobile app and not via web page so guessing something got 'accidentally' deleted.

 

[Astro What]

Data is data, they are all ones and zeros.

But the amount of data transferred/dealt with is just "slightly" different.
Google search alone processes around 1.2 TRILLION searches a year. That does not count any of the other related Google services.
Google is estimated to handle over 20 exabytes of data. Think that's slightly more than most banks do.

They recently sent advice that this data was soon to only be available via mobile app and not via web page so guessing something got 'accidentally' deleted.

If only available through one channel and not another, then it is not deleted. Access to it by both channels may no longer be possible. It's easier keeping up the infrastructure for a mobile app than it is for a actual website that has to tie into back end data using older processes and that is more prone to being hacked since it is available for anyone to access on the web.

 

[Retro]

If only available through one channel and not another, then it is not deleted. Access to it by both channels may no longer be possible. It's easier keeping up the infrastructure for a mobile app than it is for a actual website that has to tie into back end data using older processes and that is more prone to being hacked since it is available for anyone to access on the web.

Depending on what's being restricted to an app only, it would be a right pita as it wouldn't be available on a PC. Alternatively, it might only be available through a Google app that's only available on the MS or Apple app stores for PCs. Think about the walled garden implications of this, especially on the PC where MS has been trying to create it for years. Linux would be increasingly dead in the water as more and more important or critical functions are moved into this walled garden, eg Google search that we all take for granted. And then they'd start charging for it, of course. It's all about control and making money, usual story.

 

[Astro What]

It's all about control and making money, usual story.

Most businesses exist to make money. That's the very nature of capitalism. So complaining about that is really not a great position to have, otherwise you want total socialism where the government controls it all.

The problem is the desire to make exceedingly high profits. There is a happy medium until greed enters in. And that greed is not necessarily by the CEO/company heads. Frequently it's by the share holders of publicly traded companies.

As long as there are PC's in the world, they won't be pushing everything to mobile apps. Not everyone has cell service even in this day and age. Generally if a company is going to offer a PC based "app", they also offer a web based interface.
Some stats I read show that around 9% of US adults still do not own a cell phone. That's a significant number.
About 3.4% of US households do not have a computer in their household. But most local libraries do have public use computers.

Odds are the issue with the data that is being referenced is it is not being used that often by folks using a web based interface for it and they are instead now primarily looking it up via their mobile devices (since that is what captures it). So, it does actually make business sense to, at a certain point of use (or actually lack of use) to eliminate that offering. Googles TimeLine data is based upon mobile device location discovery... so odds are if you are using the timeline, you have a mobile device.
In December 2024, Google started transitioning to storing the timeline data on your device and NOT on their infrastructure. This was for end user privacy reasons. After the data is moved over to your device, they clearly stated that there would be NO web access available to it.

Google Maps Timeline Data to be Stored Locally on Your Device for Privacy

Starting Dec 1, 2024, Google Maps Timeline data will be stored locally on users' devices, boosting privacy.

thehackernews.com

Is it unusual that data could have gotten corrupted/lost in the "move" to a device? Not really. It does indicate that there may have been an issue with the moving of data under certain circumstances that caused a loss of it.
They also recommend that you turn on backups on your device to facilitate maintaining the data in case you switch devices for any reason.
BTW, you can thank lawsuits filed against Google and their keeping/use of location data for much of this.

 

[Geffers]

But the amount of data transferred/dealt with is just "slightly" different.
Google search alone processes around 1.2 TRILLION searches a year. That does not count any of the other related Google services.
Google is estimated to handle over 20 exabytes of data. Think that's slightly more than most banks do.

They had it, now they've lost it, the amount of data is not the issue. So many large companies claim your data is safe with them, until one finds it isn't.

 

[Geffers]

Depending on what's being restricted to an app only, it would be a right pita as it wouldn't be available on a PC. Alternatively, it might only be available through a Google app that's only available on the MS or Apple app stores for PCs. Think about the walled garden implications of this, especially on the PC where MS has been trying to create it for years. Linux would be increasingly dead in the water as more and more important or critical functions are moved into this walled garden, eg Google search that we all take for granted. And then they'd start charging for it, of course. It's all about control and making money, usual story.

My opinion is the move towards mobile apps is a way of ensuring future business too, I was recently forced in to upgrading phone recently due to some apps not working. Oddly the apps involved previously had a web interface but that was removed in favour of a phone app only interface. They claim the security is good on a mobile but honestly, any financial transactions I always check the padlock and view the certificate. Not so easy on a phone with a small screen.

 

[Astro What]

They had it, now they've lost it, the amount of data is not the issue. So many large companies claim your data is safe with them, until one finds it isn't.

No, the amount of YOUR data may not have been an issue. But the amount of the data that they , as an organization, have to HANDLE OVERALL may be one.
Can you provide a written statement whey they said your data would always be safe and maintained with them?
Or did you simply ass-u-me so?
It's a matter of the view from an ant compared to the view from the colony. You may simply have happened to be the ant.
As for " your data is safe".. anyone that believes that needs to buy that London bridge in Arizona. Ultimately, data security/retyention is YOUR responsibility. When you hand it off to others.. you get what you pay for.. in this case... you paid nothing and you got exactly that in return. If the software that you elected to use does not offer the ability to maintain that data on YOUR computer and backed by you manually for those freeloaders, you have elected to leave it up to them with the realization they are not going to promise you anything if you are not paying them.
For those of us who run websites and have "depended" on our hosting providers to provide reliable backups but have ended up taking it up the arse when they did not... we realized long ago what YOU the normal user should have... you yourself are responsible for your data. unless you are paying for a specific data retention method. Not others. And if those providers don't offer an ability to silo your data... generally you agreed to that.. so don't bitch when it breaks because they didn't offer you "because I'm special" offerings.

 

[Geffers]

No, the amount of YOUR data may not have been an issue. But the amount of the data that they , as an organization, have to HANDLE OVERALL may be one.
Can you provide a written statement whey they said your data would always be safe and maintained with them?
Or did you simply ass-u-me so?
It's a matter of the view from an ant compared to the view from the colony. You may simply have happened to be the ant.
As for " your data is safe".. anyone that believes that needs to buy that London bridge in Arizona. Ultimately, data security/retyention is YOUR responsibility. When you hand it off to others.. you get what you pay for.. in this case... you paid nothing and you got exactly that in return. If the software that you elected to use does not offer the ability to maintain that data on YOUR computer and backed by you manually for those freeloaders, you have elected to leave it up to them with the realization they are not going to promise you anything if you are not paying them.
For those of us who run websites and have "depended" on our hosting providers to provide reliable backups but have ended up taking it up the arse when they did not... we realized long ago what YOU the normal user should have... you yourself are responsible for your data. unless you are paying for a specific data retention method. Not others. And if those providers don't offer an ability to silo your data... generally you agreed to that.. so don't bitch when it breaks because they didn't offer you "because I'm special" offerings.

I am very surprised you even suggested their services are free, we pay with our data, our habits, our travels etc. Google are not some philanthropic company that gives services for free, we all know they are a commercial enterprise motivated by profit and our payment is the data we submit.

Of course they will have an outer somewhere in their conditions that one's data is not guaranteed but many organisations claim data is safe with them, and it is until they get hacked and that was the purpose of my post, I emphasised that the loss of location data was not important but then hypothesised a bank losing data. People are responsible for their own data but in the digital world that is now not so straight forward.

 

[Astro What]

I am very surprised you even suggested their services are free, we pay with our data, our habits, our travels etc. Google are not some philanthropic company that gives services for free, we all know they are a commercial enterprise motivated by profit and our payment is the data we submit.

Which costs zero out of your pocket. If you don't like them using the data, don't use their service. It is like with ANY business. They are not twisting your arm to use anything they provide.

With a bank, generally you are actually paying them in a more solid form... generally with allowing them access to your money for them to pool and play with and make money themselves on, or by actual bank related fees.
There is now not really anything you get for nothing... even dying costs.