Google Maps · Google Maps Platform Terms of Service

Data Processing and Privacy Obligations

High severity
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What it is

If your app using Maps APIs processes personal data (like user location), you must follow privacy laws and tell users about it — Google's data processing agreement also applies to how Google handles data from your API calls.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

When you use an app that relies on Google Maps, your location searches and map interactions may be transmitted to Google's servers — developers are legally required to disclose this in their privacy policies, but enforcement depends on the developer's compliance.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Export Your Data
    Visit myaccount.google.com, go to 'Data & Privacy', and use Google Takeout to export your location history and activity data. You can also review and delete location history from this page.

How other platforms handle this

Robinhood Medium

We may share your personal information with our business partners and other third parties as required or permitted by law, including for joint marketing purposes with financial companies.

Google Gemini Medium

For users who are under 18, Gemini Apps Activity is saved for 18 months by default and can only be changed to 3 months. Conversations with Gemini apps from users under 13 are not saved to their Google Account by default.

Strava Medium

We may share your information with third parties to support, improve, promote, and secure the Services; process payments; or fulfill orders. These service providers only have access to the information necessary to perform specified functions on our behalf. We require them to protect and secure your ...

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

Developers are responsible for obtaining proper consent and providing disclosures to their end users about location data collection that occurs through Maps API calls, and they must separately review and comply with Google's Data Processing Addendum.

View original clause language
To the extent that Customer's Maps API Implementation involves the processing of personal data, Customer agrees to comply with applicable data protection laws and to provide adequate notice to end users regarding the collection and use of their data. The Google Cloud Data Processing Addendum is incorporated by reference where applicable.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: Processing personal data via Maps APIs implicates GDPR Art. 6 (lawful basis), Art. 13/14 (transparency obligations), Art. 28 (processor agreements), and Art. 46 (international transfers via SCCs). CCPA §1798.100 and CPRA §1798.140 apply to California residents' personal information including precise geolocation data. COPPA (15 U.S.C. § 6501) applies if the Maps implementation collects location data from users under 13. The FTC Act Section 5 governs deceptive privacy practices. Primary enforcers include national EU DPAs, the CPPA, and the FTC. (2)

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Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC enforces against companies that collect location data without adequate consumer disclosure under Section 5 of the FTC Act, which applies to both Google and developers using Maps APIs.
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

BIPA
Illinois, USA
CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
COPPA
United States Federal
CAN-SPAM
United States Federal
DMA
European Union
FCRA
United States Federal
GDPR
European Union
GLBA
United States Federal
HIPAA
United States Federal
UK GDPR
United Kingdom

Provision details

Document information
Document
Google Maps Platform Terms of Service
Entity
Google Maps
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
April 28, 2026
Last verified
April 28, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-002380
Document ID
CA-D-00324
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
d7d43c97b706df81bcb608a886eba9988cb50b384442642f9c928a5aa47175e4
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Google Maps | Document: Google Maps Platform Terms of Service | Record: CA-P-002380
Captured: 2026-04-28 10:05:02 UTC | SHA-256: d7d43c97b706df81…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/google-maps/google-maps-platform-terms-of-service/data-processing-and-privacy-obligations/
Accessed: April 29, 2026
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

Other provisions in this document

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