Provision record
Waze · Waze Privacy Policy · View original document ↗

Invisible Mode Does Not Stop Location Collection

High severity High confidence Explicit document language Common · 296 of 352 platforms

Key Facts

Does Waze continue to collect users' location and route information when a user has activated Invisible mode?
Waze continues to collect users' location and route information even when a user has activated Invisible mode.
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Document Record

What it is

The policy states that activating Invisible Mode prevents other Waze users from seeing a user's location on the map, but does not stop Waze from continuing to collect that user's location and route data for its own stated purposes.

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

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

Users may reasonably believe Invisible mode provides privacy from Waze as well as from other users; the clause clarifies that Waze's own data collection is unaffected by that mode.

Recent Activity

This document changed recently

Medium Jul 9, 2026

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of the 'find friends' feature that previously collected phone numbers from device contacts, suggesting that feature is no longer active or has been redesigned.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 →

Clause Stability Stable

0
Changes
5
Months Monitored
Jul 9, 2026
First Seen
Jul 10, 2026
Last Seen
This clause type exists across 4186 other provisions on other platforms.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Under this clause, users who activate Invisible Mode to avoid being seen by other users should be aware that Waze's collection of their location and route data continues uninterrupted. Limiting Waze's own collection requires adjusting device-level location permissions rather than activating Invisible Mode.

How other platforms handle this

ZipRecruiter Medium

You may give us your Identity Data, Contact Data, Financial Data, Profile Data, and other information by filling in forms or by corresponding with us by post, phone, e-mail or otherwise.

NVIDIA NIM Medium

TAO Toolkit releases that collect data, collect it for the following purposes: (a) to properly configure and optimize products for use with Software; (b) to deliver content or service through the Software; and (c) to improve NVIDIA products...

Glassdoor Medium

Some of our ad partners may also enable us to collect similar data directly from their website or app by integrating our or our affiliates' advertising technology.

See all platforms with this clause type →
▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
while you will be 'invisible' on the map to other users, your location and route information will continue to be collected by Waze for the purposes listed in this Privacy Policy.

Excerpt from Waze's Privacy Policy

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (regulatory & governance intelligence)

1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The distinction between user-facing visibility controls and underlying data collection practices is directly relevant to GDPR transparency requirements, specifically the obligation to provide clear and intelligible information about processing scope.

Insight

Unlock the full institutional analysis

Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.

Applicable agencies

  • Federal Trade Commission (ftc)
    Oversees unfair or deceptive business practices and can investigate companies that mislead consumers about data collection, sharing, or use.
    Who can file: Anyone affected by the company's practices (US or international)
    What you need: Your account details, a timeline of relevant events, and a description of the specific issue
    What to expect: Complaints inform FTC enforcement priorities and investigations but do not result in individual resolution or compensation
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
Connecticut Data Privacy Act Amendments
US-CT
CAN-SPAM
United States Federal
ePrivacy Directive
European Union
FTC Act Section 5
United States Federal
GDPR
European Union
Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act
US-IN
Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act
US-KY
Universal Opt-Out Mechanism Expansion 2026
US

Provision details

Document information
Document
Waze Privacy Policy
Entity
Waze
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
July 9, 2026
Last verified
July 9, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-015075
Document ID
CA-D-00323
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
937770f9c88757454718c0d4496325fb56387cdd9ad4d299ff06ed4533aed7e5
Analysis generated
July 9, 2026 07:05 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Waze
Document: Waze Privacy Policy
Record ID: CA-P-015075
Captured: 2026-07-09 07:05:51 UTC
SHA-256: 937770f9c8875745…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/waze/waze-privacy-policy/provision/CA-P-015075/invisible-mode-does-not-stop-location-collection/
Accessed: Sept. 8, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

Other risks in this policy

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Waze's Invisible Mode Does Not Stop Location Collection clause do?

Users may reasonably believe Invisible mode provides privacy from Waze as well as from other users; the clause clarifies that Waze's own data collection is unaffected by that mode.

How does this clause affect you?

Under this clause, users who activate Invisible Mode to avoid being seen by other users should be aware that Waze's collection of their location and route data continues uninterrupted. Limiting Waze's own collection requires adjusting device-level location permissions rather than activating Invisible Mode.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 296 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Waze?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Waze.