Waze states the app is not for children and does not intentionally collect data from users under 13 (or 16 in certain EU countries); if Waze discovers it has collected such data, it states it will delete it.
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 minimum age thresholds that vary by jurisdiction and commits Waze to a deletion process if underage data is identified, but does not describe any age verification mechanism, which is an operationally significant gap.
Interpretive note: The policy states differing age thresholds by jurisdiction but does not describe any technical age verification mechanism; the practical enforceability of the age restriction therefore depends on implementation details not disclosed in the policy.
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 →The policy states the app is not intended for children under 13 (or 16 in applicable EU jurisdictions), but does not describe how Waze verifies users' ages at registration; parents or guardians who believe a minor has created an account should contact Waze to request deletion of any collected data.
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The Service is intended for general audiences and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child under the age of 13 has provided us with personal information without your cons...
enableGpcSdk: true, gpcSetting: { privacyPolicyLink: '/Privacy-Security-Policy-a-282.html' }
We process Global Privacy Control signals as opt-out requests for the sale or sharing of personal information.
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"The Waze App is not intended for use by children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 (or the applicable age of digital consent in your jurisdiction, which may be higher, such as 16 in certain EU member states). If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child below the applicable age of consent, we will take steps to delete such information.— Excerpt from Waze's Waze Privacy Policy
1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) applies to online services collecting personal information from children under 13 in the US, enforced by the FTC. GDPR Article 8 sets age of digital consent at 16 as a default, permitting member states to lower it to 13; multiple EU member states have adopted 16 as their threshold, creating a fragmented compliance landscape. The UK Children's Code (Age Appropriate Design Code) enforced by the ICO imposes additional obligations for services likely to be accessed by children. 2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The policy acknowledges jurisdiction-specific age thresholds but does not describe any technical or procedural age verification mechanism; regulators including the FTC and EU data protection authorities have scrutinized the adequacy of self-declaration or honor-system age restrictions for services that may be accessed by minors. 3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU member states applying a 16-year minimum age of digital consent create heightened compliance exposure; the UK ICO's Children's Code may apply if Waze is likely to be accessed by users under 18 in the UK. California's Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (AB 2273), if upheld, would impose additional design and privacy obligations for services accessed by minors. 4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Third-party advertising and analytics integrations within the Waze app should be reviewed to confirm that child-directed data is excluded from advertising targeting pipelines, consistent with COPPA and GDPR Article 8 requirements. 5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should assess whether any age verification or age-assurance mechanism is implemented at registration or app onboarding, document the legal basis for age threshold determinations by jurisdiction, and confirm that deletion procedures for underage data are operationally implemented and tested.
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This provision establishes minimum age thresholds that vary by jurisdiction and commits Waze to a deletion process if underage data is identified, but does not describe any age verification mechanism, which is an operationally significant gap.
The policy states the app is not intended for children under 13 (or 16 in applicable EU jurisdictions), but does not describe how Waze verifies users' ages at registration; parents or guardians who believe a minor has created an account should contact Waze to request deletion of any collected data.
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