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Free Expression

Fox News: Cops ask Google to remove Waze map app for safety

CDT’s President and CEO, Nuala O’Connor, debates former New York Police Department lieutenant John Rafferty on Fox and Friends about whether or not the popular Waze mobile traffic app puts police officers’ safety at risk.

The debate over the popular community-based navigation and traffic monitoring app Waze continues as more critics call for Google to disable the app, claiming it endangers the safety of law enforcement officials. Waze users can mark police officers in public spaces using the map, enabling other users to see the officers’ location. Some members of the law enforcement community are concerned this feature allows Waze to be misused by individuals with criminal intent to harm police officers. 

Nuala O’Connor, head of the Center for Democracy and Technology, said the online police reporting feature of Waze is simply an icon that shows some form of police activity in a public space. “This is public information, this is person to person communication, it’s First Amendment protected speech,” she said. 

Watch the entire debate here.