If you use Waze's voice commands, the app may record and store your voice, using those recordings both to process your requests and to improve voice recognition systems.
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
Voice recordings are biometric-adjacent data that can reveal personal characteristics beyond the words spoken; their use for technology improvement means recordings may be retained and reviewed beyond immediate navigation purposes.
Interpretive note: The extent to which Waze's voice recordings constitute biometric identifiers under state biometric privacy laws depends on jurisdiction-specific definitions and the technical nature of the recordings, which is not fully specified in the document.
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Your voice data collected through Waze's voice features may be retained and used to train or improve voice recognition systems, which means recordings could be stored and processed after your immediate navigation session ends.
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"We may collect your voice recordings when you use voice-activated features within the App. These recordings may be used to process your requests, improve our voice recognition technology, and for other purposes described in this Privacy Policy.— Excerpt from Waze's Waze Privacy Policy
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Voice recordings may constitute biometric data under certain state laws, including the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), which imposes strict consent and retention requirements. GDPR classifies voice data that can identify individuals as personal data, and its use for technology improvement may require a separate lawful basis. FTC Act Section 5 is relevant for any undisclosed retention or secondary use of voice recordings. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High for Illinois users and potentially other states with biometric privacy statutes. BIPA has generated significant litigation for companies collecting voice and other biometric identifiers without adequate consent and retention policies. The secondary use of recordings for technology improvement requires clear disclosure and, in some jurisdictions, affirmative consent. JURISDICTION FLAGS: Illinois BIPA creates the highest exposure for voice data collection without explicit written consent and a published retention schedule. Texas and Washington have similar biometric privacy laws. EU/EEA users benefit from GDPR's restrictions on automated processing of personal data. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: If voice data is processed by third-party speech recognition vendors on behalf of Waze, data processing agreements must address retention limits, security standards, and restrictions on secondary use. Enterprise customers should verify that employee voice data collected via Waze is handled consistently with their biometric data policies. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should assess whether Waze's voice data practices satisfy BIPA consent and retention requirements for Illinois users, verify that voice data retention periods are defined and enforced, and confirm that users are given meaningful control over voice data collection.
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Voice recordings are biometric-adjacent data that can reveal personal characteristics beyond the words spoken; their use for technology improvement means recordings may be retained and reviewed beyond immediate navigation purposes.
Your voice data collected through Waze's voice features may be retained and used to train or improve voice recognition systems, which means recordings could be stored and processed after your immediate navigation session ends.
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