Waze uses your data to serve you personalized ads inside the app and may share aggregated data with advertisers and retail partners; the terms also permit tailored advertising on platforms outside Waze.
This analysis describes what Waze's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
This provision establishes the operational basis for Waze's advertising model by permitting data sharing with third-party business partners and enabling personalized ad delivery across multiple platforms. The authorization to use collected information for targeted advertising is central to the service's business operations.
Interpretive note: The distinction between aggregated non-personal data and individual-level advertising profiling is asserted but the operational boundary between these two categories is not precisely defined in the document.
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.
View change record →The updated policy removes explicit language describing how Waze collects phone numbers from device contact books and integrates social network accounts. Previously, the policy stated that Waze would 'periodically collect all of the phone numbers which are stored on your device's phone contacts book' and described how this information was used for the 'find friends' feature. The revised policy no longer includes these specific disclosures. This does not necessarily mean the practices have stopped, but it means the policy provides less transparency about what data Waze collects from your device and how it uses contact information. Users who relied on these detailed descriptions to understand Waze's data practices will find the updated policy less explicit on these points.
View change record →The updated privacy policy now explicitly discloses that Waze periodically collects all phone numbers stored in your device's contact book as part of the 'find friends' feature. According to the policy, this information is collected in an anonymous form to Waze and is used to identify other Waze users you may know. The terms also clarify that social network information can be shared with Waze and other users if you choose to connect your social network account. While the policy states that names, addresses, and other contact book information are not collected, some contact information may be saved locally on your device for local search purposes. You can control whether this feature operates by not using the 'find friends' feature or by not granting the app contact access through your device settings.
View change record →Your driving patterns and in-app behavior may be used to target you with ads both inside Waze and on external platforms, including potentially across Google's advertising network.
How other platforms handle this
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We may share your personal information with third-party vendors and service providers that perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing, data analysis, email delivery, hosting services, customer service, and marketing assistance. We may also share your personal information with busines...
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"We may share aggregated, non-personally identifiable information publicly and with our partners, including advertisers, retailers, and other third-party businesses. We may also use the information we collect about you to provide you with tailored advertising and content, both within the App and on other platforms.— Excerpt from Waze's Waze Privacy Policy
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Use of personal data for advertising profiling engages GDPR Article 21 (right to object to profiling) and Article 22 (automated decision-making) for EU users. CCPA requires opt-out rights for the sale or sharing of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. FTC guidance on behavioral advertising is directly applicable. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. Aggregated data sharing with advertisers is common industry practice; however, the assertion that data may be used for tailored advertising on other platforms extends the scope beyond Waze's own service, which may require additional disclosure and consent mechanisms under GDPR and CCPA. JURISDICTION FLAGS: California residents have a specific right to opt out of sharing for cross-context behavioral advertising under CCPA. EU users can object to profiling for advertising purposes. Jurisdictions with emerging digital advertising regulations, including the EU Digital Services Act, may impose additional obligations. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Advertisers and retail partners receiving Waze data should ensure their own data processing agreements account for the privacy restrictions on Waze-sourced data. B2B contracts should specify whether Waze data can be used for retargeting or lookalike audience creation. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should verify that opt-out mechanisms for advertising personalization are prominently disclosed and functional, that the distinction between aggregated and individual data sharing with advertisers is operationally enforced, and that cross-platform advertising data flows are documented in data maps.
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This provision establishes the operational basis for Waze's advertising model by permitting data sharing with third-party business partners and enabling personalized ad delivery across multiple platforms. The authorization to use collected information for targeted advertising is central to the service's business operations.
Your driving patterns and in-app behavior may be used to target you with ads both inside Waze and on external platforms, including potentially across Google's advertising network.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Waze.