CA-C-000562
Waze — Waze Privacy Policy
Entity
Date detected
April 19, 2026
Effective date
April 19, 2026
Severity
Medium
Changes
+1 sentence added · −7 sentences removed · 25 sentences modified
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What Changed

Waze updated its privacy policy on April 19, 2026, removing several sections about social network integration and a 'find friends' feature that previously explained how Waze collected phone contacts and phone numbers to connect users with friends. The policy also now mentions collecting location data for 'planned or predicted drives' rather than just 'planned drives,' indicating Waze may use predictive algorithms to anticipate your trips. These changes mean less transparency about how social and contact data was handled, and a broader scope for location data collection.

Why It Matters (compliance & risk perspective)

Waze removed disclosures about collecting phone contacts and connecting social accounts, so users no longer know from the policy alone whether this data collection is still happening. The expansion to 'predicted drives' also means Waze may be using location history more broadly than before.

Consumer Impact (what this means for users)

Waze removed disclosures explaining how it collected phone contacts and phone numbers for its 'find friends' feature and social network integration, meaning users now have less visibility into whether and how this data collection still occurs. The policy also expanded location tracking language to cover 'predicted drives,' suggesting Waze may now use your location history to anticipate future trips without explicit user initiation. You can review your Waze account settings and device location permissions to limit background location data collection and check whether social network or contacts access is still enabled.

Institutional Analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

Assessment

Waze removed multiple disclosure sentences covering social network integration, phone contacts collection, and phone number use for the 'find friends' feature, while simultaneously expanding location data collection scope to include 'predicted drives.' The removal of specific data collection disclosures touches GDPR Art. 13 (information to be provided at collection), CCPA Cal. Civ. Code §1798.100 (right to know), and similar notice obligations. If your organization lists Waze in its vendor stack or data flow maps, the reduced disclosure scope and expanded location tracking warrant a review of your DPA and internal privacy notices. Action is required if Waze processes personal data on behalf of your organization or is referenced in your own privacy disclosures.

Regulatory Exposure

1. GDPR Art. 13(1)(c) and Art. 13(2)(b): Removal of disclosures about social network data and phone contacts collection may breach the requirement to inform data subjects of the purposes and legal basis for processing at the time data is collected.

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ConductAtlas provides verified policy intelligence sourced directly from platform documents. All analysis is intended to support, not replace, legal and compliance review. Record CA-C-000562.

Evidence Verification

✓ Verified
Previous Version
e5820cc74fa929353183fd746c1454adccf9bdbdff4a986a51eccd3745bc63b2
March 23, 2026 06:16 UTC
✓ Verified
Current Version
a8573de8af13bc2f7d150d3f6c317770386e37d4954f9d4082ee7dcef2746106
April 19, 2026 06:28 UTC
✓ Verified
Change Detected
April 19, 2026 06:28 UTC
✓ Verified
Source Document
https://www.waze.com/legal/privacy
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Waze | Document: Waze Privacy Policy | Record: CA-C-000562
Captured: 2026-04-19 06:28:56 UTC
URL: https://conductatlas.com/change/2026-04-19-waze-waze-privacy-policy-562/
Accessed: April 22, 2026

Full Changes

View complete diff →

Document Context

Document
Waze Privacy Policy
Entity
Waze
Captured
April 19, 2026
Source URL
https://www.waze.com/legal/privacy
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