What can I do about this clause?

{'method': 'IN_APP', 'recipient': 'Device Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Waze', 'difficulty': 'EASY', 'action_type': 'OPT_OUT_ARBITRATION', 'instructions': "Open your device's Settings app, navigate to Privacy or Location Services, find Waze, and set location access to 'While Using App' to prevent background location tracking. For full data deletion, submit a request via Waze's support portal.", 'deadline_days': None, 'deadline_hours': None}

Which regulatory agencies enforce this type of clause?

{'agency': 'FTC', 'reason': 'The FTC has designated real-time precise location data collection and third-party sharing as an enforcement priority under FTC Act Section 5, with recent actions against Kochava and X-Mode Social directly addressing this category of data practice.', 'complaint_url': 'https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/'}, {'agency': 'State_AG', 'reason': "California's Attorney General and Privacy Protection Agency enforce CCPA geolocation data rights including opt-out from sale and sharing of precise location data.", 'complaint_url': 'https://www.naag.org/find-my-ag/'}

What is the severity of this clause?

ConductAtlas classifies this Real-Time Location Data Collection clause as high severity. Severity reflects the magnitude of rights affected, the breadth of users impacted, and the degree of discretion the platform retains.

Real-Time Location Data Collection — Waze

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What it is

Waze collects your precise GPS location continuously while you use the app, and this data can be shared with advertisers and business partners.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Your precise real-time GPS location is collected every time you use Waze and may be shared with advertisers and third-party business partners, potentially revealing your daily movements, home, workplace, and sensitive locations you visit.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.

Opt Out of Arbitration

Open your device's Settings app, navigate to Privacy or Location Services, find Waze, and set location access to 'While Using App' to prevent background location tracking. For full data deletion, submit a request via Waze's support portal.

Cross-platform context

See how other platforms handle Real-Time Location Data Collection and similar clauses.

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

Continuous real-time GPS location data is among the most sensitive categories of personal data, capable of revealing home address, workplace, places of worship, medical facilities visited, and daily routine — all of which can be shared with third parties under these terms.

View original clause language

When you use the Services, Waze automatically receives and records information from your mobile device, including your GPS location, device identifiers, and other usage data. This location data is used to provide navigation services, improve our maps, and may be shared with third parties including advertisers and business partners.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: Real-time GPS location data collection implicates GDPR Article 6 (lawful basis for processing), Article 9 (special categories — location data revealing visits to religious sites, medical facilities, etc. may qualify), and Article 13 (transparency obligations) enforced by EU supervisory authorities. CCPA §1798.100 and the California Delete Act (SB 362) regulate collection and sale of geolocation data. The FTC Act Section 5 applies to deceptive location data practices; the FTC's enforcement actions against Kochava (2022) and X-Mode Social establish that sale of precise location data without adequate consent constitutes an unfair practice. Illinois BIPA may be tangentially relevant for biometric-proximate inferences drawn from location patterns. (2)

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Applicable agencies

FTC

The FTC has designated real-time precise location data collection and third-party sharing as an enforcement priority under FTC Act Section 5, with recent actions against Kochava and X-Mode Social directly addressing this category of data practice.
File a complaint →
State AG

California's Attorney General and Privacy Protection Agency enforce CCPA geolocation data rights including opt-out from sale and sharing of precise location data.
File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information

Document

Waze Terms of Use

Entity

Waze

Document last updated

April 29, 2026

Tracking information

First tracked

April 28, 2026

Last verified

April 28, 2026

Record ID

CA-P-003706

Document ID

CA-D-00322

Evidence Provenance

Source URL

https://www.waze.com/legal/tos

Wayback Machine

View archived versions →

SHA-256

9736286b6eb08ee4fc6095dc2c91e0601c2ee91260355dbe9284b34928846ee8

Verified

✓ Snapshot stored ✓ Change verified

How to Cite

ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Waze | Document: Waze Terms of Use | Record: CA-P-003706
Captured: 2026-04-28 05:17:41 UTC | SHA-256: 9736286b6eb08ee4…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/waze/waze-terms-of-use/real-time-location-data-collection/
Accessed: May 2, 2026

Classification

Severity

High

Real-Time Location Data Collection