When you contribute anything to Waze, such as map edits, road reports, or comments, you give Waze and its affiliates a permanent, free license to use, copy, and build on that content for any business purpose.
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 clause authorizes Waze to exploit user-generated content across multiple business contexts without compensation constraints, and permits sublicensing and transfer of these rights to successors and affiliates, creating a perpetual entitlement to user content contributions.
Interpretive note: The interaction between this perpetual IP license and GDPR erasure rights is not addressed in the document and may depend on jurisdiction-specific legal interpretation.
The updated Terms now establish that you are binding yourself not only to the main Terms of Use but also to Waze's Content Moderation Policy, Community Terms, and Copyright Policy as integral parts of the agreement. This expands the set of rules you must comply with when using the Service. The revised terms also clarify that the Service is intended for users of legal driving age and explicitly describe Waze's advertising model: the Service is free because advertising revenue funds operations, and Waze uses your data to show you targeted ads, with controls available to manage ad personalization preferences.
View change record →Users who contribute map data or traffic reports cannot later reclaim those contributions or prevent Waze from continuing to use them commercially, even after account deletion.
How other platforms handle this
we may closely review accounts that offer the following services, products, or content: Online trading, day trading tips, and stock market related content
Paid Subscribers can select whether Content is public or private.
If Your Content is prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction where our Services are available, we may remove it even if it is not illegal in your location.
"By submitting or posting Content on the Service, you grant Waze a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, sublicensable and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, and perform the Content in connection with the Service and Waze's (and its successors' and affiliates') business.Excerpt from Waze's Terms of Use
1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision implicates GDPR Article 17 (right to erasure) for EU and EEA users, as a perpetual content license may conflict with an individual's right to have their contributions deleted.
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The clause authorizes Waze to exploit user-generated content across multiple business contexts without compensation constraints, and permits sublicensing and transfer of these rights to successors and affiliates, creating a perpetual entitlement to user content contributions.
Users who contribute map data or traffic reports cannot later reclaim those contributions or prevent Waze from continuing to use them commercially, even after account deletion.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 263 platforms. See the full comparison.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Waze.