‘Completely false’: Waze rejects Malaysia’s data security claims after civil servant ban
Waze has denied Malaysian government allegations that the app poses a national security risk or exploits user data. Malaysia recently banned civil servants from using the app due to its Israeli origins and concerns over data jurisdiction.
Why it matters
This incident underscores the intersection of geopolitical tensions and data privacy, as nations increasingly scrutinize the origins of foreign-owned software.
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — Navigation app Waze rejected on Friday Malaysia’s allegations that it could exploit users’ personal data, after the country banned civil servants from using the app over its Israeli links.
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the ban on Wednesday to “safeguard government information and users’ personal data against the threat of misuse by the Israeli regime”.
He said Friday that the South-east Asian nation could consider a total ban if an alternative for the popular app is found.
Muslim-majority Malaysia is a longstanding and vocal critic of Israel and maintains no diplomatic relations with it.
Waze, owned by Google, was founded in Israel and remains incorporated there.
“Claims that Waze collects sensitive government information or allows any entity to exploit personal user data are completely false,” a Waze spokesperson told AFP in a statement.
Headlinne story · 3 newsrooms
Malaysia Bans Waze for Civil Servants Over Data Privacy
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