I was just as insulted & annoyed about the contacts requirement, but I allowed access to login, then went to settings & removed access. Hasn't affected me in any way, as I prefer to enter the address anyway. FYI, you can use waze without logging in; you just won't have any favorites or other personal things, & can't edit the map. Small price to pay for privacy, IMHO, since it's an otherwise great app.
HTH

Requiring this means I stop using waze. Too bad. I was just starting to get familiar with it

I agree with the outraged comments regarding Big Brother Google. Sadly deleting the app. Bummer

No, you can't have access to my contacts list. Bye-bye, Waze... it was great while it lasted.

Outrage ! " to verify your identity we need access to your contacts "! One option. "Allow". And the sad thing is how many people gave all this info out that puts all of us in the hands of Waze?! Delete app time

Some of the comments below sum it up for me. For a map/gps/travel app to REQUIRE access to MY contacts for me to be able to use the software shows they are completely untrustworthy as a company. Uninstalling it again and I won't be back even though the program itself used to be awesome. No doubt it has extra bloatware along the lines of asking for my contacts embedded in its guts now as well so no, not returning. Regardless... fire the whole team that thought grabbing for contacts was a viable option.

STOP ACCESSING CONTACTS

I assume this is why Waze no longer shows my next appointment/meeting in Notification Center, correct. It's interesting to see one of the best, most used and well appraised apps implode itself, in one swift move. Even if you fixed it, I wouldn't return. Justifying raping our privacy as a feature enhancement puts you squarely into the untrustworthy douchebag category. Another map will take your place, figure out how to monetize it without totally turning off your user base.

What a steaming pile of dung. Was my go to map for a long time, now the payout is way way too big. Permanent gps coordinates to my whereabouts and now perm access address book. Understood all google services are free bc were the product being sold. This is crazy over the top. Shame on you

Add me to the list. Just went to download onto a new (replacement) device and see this new requisite bare your personal info to use policy. I'm out. Too bad, just another example of corporate excess and the insatiable drive for maximum profit. I'm sure many more users have just dropped the app without commenting here or are soon to be doing so when they need to update and realize you must now share a ludicrous amount of personal information. I genuinely suspect that the disappearing drivers will at some point subsequently diminish past a threshold where the actual value of using Waze is undermined (by way of reduced driving peers). Nauseating policy, but not particularly surprising I suppose.... ... Goodbye Waze.

Deleting app. You don't need my contacts.

I wanted to use Waze on my iPhone and iPad . So I registered my iPhone without needing to provide my contacts. Then after setting up the account i decided to use the same registered info for the iPad. I got the verification code and the next step they wanted access to my contacts to verify it's really "me." WTH...no way. I don't need the app that badly on my iPad. Too bad since I really enjoyed the app. But Big Brother is getting out of control!!

Waze. You want my contacts? I will now delete your app

Can't seem to login without giving up my contacts?!?!?!!! WTH! Guess I'll find another tool

I was looking for a way around sharing my contacts with waze after updating the app. I guess I can't. I'll be deleting this now. It really sucks because it was very useful.

Just deleted the app because I refuse to hand over all of my contact info to google. wtf???

I'm deleting before I really got into the app. Unfortunately I'm sure this won't change anything.

Just tried to open Waze on my new I-phone. Shocked that they want access to my contacts, with only one "choice"--Allow. I loved this App but forget it. And saying you need it because "This helps verify your details." What the heck does that mean? My contacts are entitled to their privacy. Good-bye Waze.

I'm not sure that I understand why waze needs my contacts to verify that I am me. You just sent me a verification code and I sent it back to waze. Why do you need access to my contacts?

Agreeing to grant access to my contacts didn’t end my frustration, next step is “update your profile” with 1st and last name…and now I will delete it…after 5 years.