en mogaznews | Google Maps trend takes over TikTok as nostalgic users reminisce over old photos of their homes

Google Maps trend takes over TikTok as nostalgic users reminisce over old photos of their homes - here's how you can try it

By: dailymail Posted On: December 20, 2024 View: 54

Published: 10:41 EST, 19 December 2024 | Updated: 16:14 EST, 20 December 2024

From having a 'brat summer' to being 'very demure, very mindful', TikTokers have taken part in a number of weird and wonderful trends this year.

But the latest trend sweeping social media is arguably one of the most heartwarming yet.

TikTokers are looking up photos of their childhood homes on Google Maps to see how they have changed through the years.

One user was amazed to spot their late grandparents in a photo of their home from 2008.

Meanwhile, another found their childhood dogs chasing the Google Maps car in 2012.

Many viewers have been overcome with emotion at the videos, with one claiming that they 'cannot handle it'.

'I cannot handle the Google Earth trend. Every video makes me want to sob my eyes out,' they posted.

If you're in the mood to reminisce, here's how you can try the Google Maps trend.

One user was amazed to spot their late grandfather in a photo

Their grandfather could be seen riding his lawnmower in the Google Maps image

To find historic photos of your home, open Google Maps on your computer (unfortunately this trick won't work on your smartphone).

Type your address in the search bar, and Google Maps will show you the location in its basic grey and white map view.

To see a real photo of your house, you'll need to switch to Street View - you can do this by clicking the small photo in the bottom right of the screen.

By default, Google will show you the latest photo of your home.

However, in the black box at the top of the screen, you'll also be given the option to 'See more dates'.

Click this button, and Google will show you all the photos it has taken of your home through the years.

TikToker @ccwilks said the trend made her 'emotional'.

'Somewhere on Google Earth my mom is still 40 getting back from a run while my siblings and I are biking down our hill,' she wrote on her video.

To find historic photos of your home, you'll need to open Google Maps on your computer (unfortunately this trick won't work on your smartphone)

How to find historic photos of your home on Google Maps

Open Google Maps on a computer
Type your address in the search bar
Switch to Street View by clicking the photo in bottom right of the screen
By default, Google will show you the latest photo of your home. However, in the black box at the top of the screen, you'll be given the option to 'See more dates'
Click this button, and Google will show you all the photos it has taken of your home through the years

@tyra__lynn said she was 'screaming, crying, throwing up,' after spotting her late grandparents in a photo of their home from 2008.

She wrote: 'Somewhere on Google maps it is a sunny day in 2008 and both my grandparents are still alive and working on their yard together.'

Several other users spotted their childhood dogs in old photos, with one commenting that the discovery 'makes me emotional.'

Meanwhile, @paigeoftheuniverse was 'wrecked' to discover some changes to her childhood home.

'Don't look up your childhood home in 2012 on Google Maps,' she said.

'The woman who moved in after us cut down all the trees, I haven't seen this yard in 10 years. I loved those trees.'

And while @haleyhoffmansmith didn't participate in the trend herself, she posted a video to express her feelings.

'This Google Earth trend makes me the most emotional of any trend ever on this app,' she wrote.

'The sheer nostalgia of it all. The simplicity of reflecting on our past and a little moment captured forever that we didn't know we'd miss one day.

'It's really the ~living~ that's siply so special, almost moreso than the big moments.'

The trend comes shortly after TikTok released its 'Year on TikTok' report, showing which trends have been fueling user engagement in the past 12 months.

According to TikTok, the platform has once again fuelled countless trends that are 'now in our cultural lexicon'.

'Throughout 2024, TikTok continued to redefine how we discover, create and connect through the shared language of video,' said James Stafford, global head of content at TikTok.

'From small businesses launching global brands to creators and artists at the forefront of cultural movements, TikTok is a catalyst for economic growth, cultural trends, and social impact.

'We celebrate our global community who have inspired and entertained us this year, as we remain committed to nurturing a positive and inclusive environment where everyone can bring joy, have a unique voice, and a chance to shine.'

HOW CAN YOU FIND AND DELETE WHERE GOOGLE KNOWS YOU'VE BEEN?

Even if you have 'Location History' off, Google often stores your precise location.

Here's how to delete those markers and some best-effort practices that keep your location as private as possible.

But there's no panacea, because simply connecting to the internet on any device flags an IP address that can be geographically mapped.

Smartphones also connect to cell towers, so your carrier knows your general location at all times.

To disable tracking on any device

Fire up your browser and go to myactivity.google.com. You'll need to be logged into Google.

On the upper left drop-down menu, go to 'Activity Controls.' Turn off both 'Web & App Activity' and 'Location History.'

That should prevent precise location markers from being stored to your Google account.

Google will warn you that some of its services won't work as well with these settings off.

In particular, neither the Google Assistant, a digital concierge, nor the Google Home smart speaker will be particularly useful.

On iOS

If you use Google Maps, adjust your location setting to 'While Using' the app. This will prevent the app from accessing your location when it's not active.

Go to Settings Privacy Location Services and from there select Google Maps to make the adjustment.

In the Safari web browser, consider using a search engine other than Google.

Under Settings Safari Search Engine, you can find other options like Bing or DuckDuckGo.

You can turn location off while browsing by going to Settings Privacy Location Services Safari Websites, and turn this to 'Never.'

This still won't prevent advertisers from knowing your rough location based on IP address on any website.

You can also turn Location Services off to the device almost completely from Settings Privacy Location Services.

Both Google Maps and Apple Maps will still work, but they won't know where you are on the map and won't be able to give you directions.

Emergency responders will still be able to find you if the need arises.

On Android

Under the main settings icon click on 'Security & location.' Scroll down to the 'Privacy' heading. Tap 'Location.' You can toggle it off for the entire device.

Use 'App-level permissions' to turn off access to various apps.

Unlike the iPhone, there is no setting for 'While Using.'

You cannot turn off Google Play services, which supplies your location to other apps if you leave that service on.

Sign in as a 'guest' on your Android device by swiping down from top and tapping the downward-facing cursor, then again on the torso icon.

Be aware of which services you sign in on, like Chrome. You can also change search engines even in Chrome.

To delete past location tracking on any device

On the page myactivity.google.com, look for any entry that has a location pin icon beside the word 'details.'

Clicking on that pops up a window that includes a link that sometimes says 'From your current location.'

Clicking on it will open Google Maps, which will display where you were at the time.

You can delete it from this popup by clicking on the navigation icon with the three stacked dots and then 'Delete.'

Some items will be grouped in unexpected places, such as topic names, google.com, Search, or Maps.

You have to delete them item by item. You can wholesale delete all items in date ranges or by service, but will end up taking out more than just location markers.