Waze has denied claims of collecting sensitive government data or allowing personal data to be exploited following Malaysia’s ban on the app for civil servants.
PETALING JAYA: Navigation application Waze has denied collecting sensitive government information or allowing users’ personal data to be exploited, following Malaysia’s decision to prohibit civil servants from using the platform while performing official duties.
A Waze spokesperson described the allegations as “completely false” in an emailed statement to Free Malaysia Today (FMT), amid growing concerns over the application’s data collection practices and its exposure to Israeli laws.
“Waze operates under strict privacy policies that protect user data and comply with global legal data protection standards,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying by FMT today.
The response comes after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the restriction on Oct 21, citing potential risks involving sensitive government information and users’ personal data.
The decision followed a National Cyber Security Committee meeting on Oct 20, with the directive taking immediate effect across government departments and agencies.
Although the prohibition applies only to civil servants undertaking official duties, the government has encouraged Malaysians to consider locally developed navigation alternatives, including TuJu.
Earlier today, National Security Council director-general Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin warned that location information collected through Waze could potentially be used to identify users’ movement patterns and daily routines.
He said such information could pose particular security concerns when involving civil servants whose movements may be connected to sensitive government operations.
The National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa), in its published frequently asked questions on the restriction, explained that Waze collects information extending beyond users’ locations, including travel routes, device sensor data, timestamps and IP addresses.
It also added that location information could be collected when the application was not actively being used, depending on device settings and permissions.
However, Nacsa acknowledged that there was no evidence Waze had analysed users’ movement patterns in the manner described, while maintaining that the possibility of such analysis remained a security risk requiring consideration.
In a related matter, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo told the Dewan Rakyat today that Malaysians could face difficulties pursuing legal remedies in disputes involving Waze because its terms of service fall under Israeli jurisdiction.