Waze updated its privacy policy on May 5, 2026 to add explicit language about collecting phone numbers from your device's contact book through the 'find friends' feature, and to clarify how social network information can be shared through the app. The policy now states that Waze periodically collects all phone numbers stored on your device to help identify other Waze users you may know, and that phone numbers are collected in a form that is initially anonymous to Waze. The updated terms also detail how you can connect your social network accounts and share profile information.
The updated policy now explicitly discloses that Waze periodically collects all phone numbers stored on your device's contact book as part of the 'find friends' feature. According to the revised terms, these phone numbers are collected in a form that is initially anonymous to Waze and are used to help create a list of other Waze users you may know. The policy clarifies that names, addresses, and other contact information are not collected from your phone book, though such information may be saved locally on your device for local searches. Additionally, the updated terms now explicitly authorize connecting your Waze account to social network accounts and sharing profile information from those networks. You can control whether to use the 'find friends' feature and whether to connect social network accounts to your Waze account.
The updated terms establish explicit disclosure of a data collection practice (phone number collection from device contacts) that was not clearly described in the prior policy. This clarification affects how the policy communicates Waze's access to and use of contact-book data. The disclosure is material because it confirms that Waze collects identifying information (phone numbers) from user devices and cross-references it against its user database, a practice that regulators and privacy advocates scrutinize closely, particularly when contact access is not obviously necessary for the app's core navigation function.
→ Review your device settings to confirm whether Waze has permission to access your device contacts.
→ In the Waze app settings, verify whether the 'find friends' feature is enabled and disable it if you do not wish to participate.
→ Review which social network accounts, if any, are connected to your Waze account and disconnect any you do not wish to share data with.
→ If you do not review your settings, the 'find friends' feature will continue to collect phone numbers from your device contacts periodically.
→ Social network accounts connected to your Waze account will continue to share profile information with Waze unless you explicitly disconnect them.
→ Your phone number will remain available for use in the 'find friends' feature for matching purposes as described in the updated policy.
This is the 2nd significant Data Collection Expansion change Waze has made since ConductAtlas began monitoring.
ConductAtlas has recorded 3 material changes to this document over 43 days of monitoring (since March 2026).
Policy explicitly discloses periodic collection of all phone numbers from device contact book, collected anonymously, to identify other Waze users.
Updated terms clarify that users may connect social network accounts to Waze and choose to share profile information from those networks.
This change record describes what was added, removed, or modified in the document. Analysis reflects what the updated agreement states or permits. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Applicability may vary by jurisdiction. Methodology
The policy now clearly states that phone numbers on your device are collected periodically, whereas this was not explicitly disclosed in the prior version.
Waze added detailed disclosures regarding phone number collection from device contacts and social network integration. The change clarifies existing practices rather than introducing fundamentally new data flows. The disclosure language addresses potential privacy concerns by noting that phone numbers are collected anonymously and that names and addresses from contacts are not collected. Organizations using Waze services should verify that their privacy notices and vendor assessments account for this phone number collection practice. The change may be responsive to regulatory scrutiny around contact-book access and biometric/identification matching, though no specific enforcement action is indicated. No new legal obligations appear to be created by the disclosure itself, but organizations should confirm their data processing agreements with Waze address this data category.
Full compliance analysis
Obligation analysis, escalation trigger, board language, and recommended action.
Watcher: regulatory citations + obligations. Professional: full compliance memo.
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-001640.
See the full side-by-side comparison of every sentence added, removed, and modified.
🔒 Full diff — WatcherWaze removed over 150 sentences from its Terms of Use on May 5, 2026, including introductory language about what the …
Waze updated its privacy policy on April 19, 2026, removing detailed language about social network integration, the 'find friends' feature, …
Waze added approximately 159 sentences of foundational boilerplate language to its Terms of Use on April 19, 2026, including formal …
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