Google Maps and Waze have disabled live traffic updates for areas of Israel and the Gaza Strip at the request of the Israeli military, ahead of an imminent ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.
A Google spokesperson said: “As we have done previously in conflict situations and in response to the evolving situation in the region, we have temporarily disabled the ability to monitor live traffic and data on heavy traffic congestion out of concern for the safety of local communities.”
Live traffic information can reveal details about troop movements or where crowds of people are gathering. The technology collects location data to show where traffic delays occur.
A message appears to users of the “Waze” mapping application in hot spots in Israel and Gaza stating: “Due to the security situation: driver movement, traffic jams and other alerts will not be displayed.”
But it appears that the Waze mapping app is still fully functional in areas of Israel, such as Tel Aviv, while live traffic data in Google Maps has been disabled across the country.
However, Google Maps and Waze users in the region will still be able to use those apps for navigation and receive estimated arrival times based on conditions on the ground, with details about where traffic jams are removed from the maps.
Israeli media reported that Apple had also disabled live traffic features as well.
