The terms disclose that Waze sells advertising space to businesses and uses user personal data to serve targeted ads based on user settings, and also uses personal data for service personalization such as route suggestions and arrival time estimates.
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 terms authorize use of personal data, including location and route data, for targeted advertising and service personalization. Detailed location data used for advertising purposes engages GDPR consent and legitimate interest requirements in the EU, and CCPA opt-out rights for California residents; the document references a separate Privacy Policy for the specific data types, controls, and sharing arrangements involved.
Interpretive note: The specific data types, sharing arrangements, consent mechanisms, and user controls for advertising-related data use are deferred to a separate Privacy Policy not included in this document, limiting full assessment from this document alone.
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 →Under these terms, Waze uses user personal data, including location and usage data, to serve targeted advertisements and to personalize service features. The terms state that controls and transparency are provided regarding ad-related data use, with further detail deferred to the separate Privacy Policy.
Cross-platform context
See how other platforms handle Advertising and Use of Personal Data for Ads and similar clauses.
Compare across platforms →"Advertising is what makes it possible to offer our Service to everyone. We make money selling ads space to businesses, and we use your data to show you ads that are useful to you, according to your settings. When we show ads, we give you transparency and controls so you can make informed decisions, e.g. about the information about you that is used to show ads. We also use your personal information to make our Service more helpful to you (for example, this is how we can suggest to you routes that fit your preferences, estimate your arrival time more accurately etc.).Excerpt from Waze's Terms of Use
1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: GDPR (EU) requires a valid legal basis for processing personal data for advertising purposes, with consent typically required for behavioral or targeted advertising using location data.
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The terms authorize use of personal data, including location and route data, for targeted advertising and service personalization. Detailed location data used for advertising purposes engages GDPR consent and legitimate interest requirements in the EU, and CCPA opt-out rights for California residents; the document references a separate Privacy Policy for the specific data types, controls, and sharing arrangements involved.
Under these terms, Waze uses user personal data, including location and usage data, to serve targeted advertisements and to personalize service features. The terms state that controls and transparency are provided regarding ad-related data use, with further detail deferred to the separate Privacy Policy.
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