Waze keeps your personal data for as long as it needs it for the stated purposes, after which it states it will delete or anonymize the data, but the policy does not specify fixed retention periods for specific data categories.
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 asserts a purpose-based retention standard without specifying concrete retention periods for particular data types such as location history or driving behavior records, which limits users' ability to assess how long their data is held.
Interpretive note: The policy does not specify retention periods for individual data categories; the practical retention duration for location and driving behavior data is therefore uncertain from the policy text alone.
The updated policy now applies to users of any age by removing the prior 16+ requirement, but does not explicitly state whether parental consent is required for minors. The policy defines Personal Information more broadly to include location, route information, and data reasonably linked to you by Waze. The company removed documentation of the 'find friends' feature that previously collected phone numbers from device contacts, suggesting that feature is no longer active or has been redesigned. Privacy controls remain available through in-app settings where you can adjust which Personal Information Waze collects and how it is used.
View change record →Previous version had empty excerpt; current version now provides detailed retention rationale (service provision, legal compliance, dispute resolution) and deletion/anonymization commitment.
View full change record →The policy states data is kept as long as necessary for service provision, legal compliance, and dispute resolution, but does not provide specific retention timelines for location data, driving history, or other categories; users who want their data deleted before the unspecified retention period ends should submit a deletion request.
How other platforms handle this
to request that your data be transferred to a third party (data portability)
Your organization may allow you to access and export your data in order to back it up or transfer it to a service outside of Google.
Further, you may take legal actions in relation to any potential breach of your rights regarding the processing of your Personal Information, as well as to lodge complaints before the competent data prot...
"We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide you with our services, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When we no longer need your personal information, we will delete or anonymize it.Excerpt from Waze's Privacy Policy
1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: GDPR Article 5(1)(e) requires that personal data is kept in a form permitting identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which it is processed (storage …
Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.
Ad personalization controls removed. Contact scanning added. Advertiser data partnerships quietly dropped. A timeline of every change.
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This provision asserts a purpose-based retention standard without specifying concrete retention periods for particular data types such as location history or driving behavior records, which limits users' ability to assess how long their data is held.
The policy states data is kept as long as necessary for service provision, legal compliance, and dispute resolution, but does not provide specific retention timelines for location data, driving history, or other categories; users who want their data deleted before the unspecified retention period ends should submit a deletion request.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 290 platforms. See the full comparison.
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