[cpcallen]

Since reading this I've gone looking for the setting in Maps (on iOS) but not been able to find it. Can you tell me where it is?

[jffry]

Maybe it's similar to the Android app. If so:

1. Open Google Maps

2. Tap my profile photo at top right

3. Pick "Your Timeline" from the menu

4. Tap the cloud icon in top navbar

5. Toggle the option to enable cloud backup

[barroomhero]

I'm using Android and do not have the cloud icon? Can you share a screenshot?

[Brian_K_White]

Screenshot would show the users current location, and would not tell you anything that the directions didn't tell you. I followed the directions in that comment and confirm that I see what is described. A cloud icon in a top nav bar, on the right side, with a slash through it in my case as backup sync is off.

[jffry]

Appreciate the concern, but it was easy enough to zoom the map onto an empty part of the ocean and conceal any personal info.

[jffry]

Sure. Here's a screenshot when I have timeline view open (zoomed onto an ocean, that's why it's all blue): https://i.imgur.com/Yx9eBIg.png

The cloud had a slash through it, I tapped it and enabled the setting.

[vinay_ys]

Google gives most privacy controls than any other major Internet company and actually works really hard to honor it.

Still, you can do two things to maximize your privacy:

1. In https://myactivity.google.com/activitycontrols, disable all activity history – everything should show "off".

2. In iOS, turn off background permission to all Google apps. (You can do this for most apps without loss in functionality). Then, turn off location permission all apps. For maps, give it location permission to "allow while using" only.

This is the least intrusive you can get to. Beyond this, you can also use different google account for different google apps to minimize data mingling. Further beyond that, you can just stop using google apps.