Waze states that it uses anonymized and aggregated data about driving patterns and traffic conditions to improve its services and may share such data with third parties.
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
The provision establishes the operational scope for data use by permitting the company to process and apply user-derived data in de-identified form across a broad range of internal, product development, and commercial activities without individual user consent for each use case.
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 →Even 'anonymized' driving data shared with third parties carries a risk of re-identification, meaning your travel patterns could potentially be traced back to you.
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We use the information we collect to send you ads and other commercial and sponsored content. We use the information we have to deliver our products, including to personalize features and content and make suggestions for you on and off our products. We share information across the Meta Companies.
We may use personal information to send you marketing communications about Visa products, services, and offers that may interest you, to personalize your experience with us, and to provide you with targeted advertising. You may opt out of receiving marketing communications from us at any time.
We target (and measure the performance of) ads to Members, Visitors and others both on and off our Services directly or through a variety of partners, using the following data, whether separately or combined: Data from advertising technologies on and off our Services, like web beacons, pixels, ad ta...
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"Waze may use anonymous, statistical or aggregated information (including anonymous location information), in a form that does not enable the identification of a specific user, to properly operate the Services, to improve the quality of the Services, to enhance your experience, to create new services and features, including customized services, to change or cancel existing content or service, and for further internal, commercial and statistical purposes (including advertising).— Excerpt from Waze's Waze Privacy Policy
The GDPR's standard for true anonymization (Recital 26) requires that re-identification be reasonably impossible; given the specificity of GPS driving data, compliance teams should assess whether Waze's anonymization techniques genuinely meet this threshold or whether data remains pseudonymous and therefore still subject to GDPR.
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The provision establishes the operational scope for data use by permitting the company to process and apply user-derived data in de-identified form across a broad range of internal, product development, and commercial activities without individual user consent for each use case.
Even 'anonymized' driving data shared with third parties carries a risk of re-identification, meaning your travel patterns could potentially be traced back to you.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Waze.