Waze Disputes Claims That Users Are Reporting False Congestion

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A mobile navigation app is firing back Friday, a day after claims surfaced that users were falsely reporting congestion.

The Waze app connects drivers to one another, alerting other motorist of real-time police activity, accidents and heavy traffic.

"I feel that it really provides traffic in real-time because you have other people on the road instantly telling you what's going on," Kiki Bassoul said.

But not everyone may feel similarly.

On Thursday, the entertainment website TMZ.com reported that homeowners upset with the app's re-routes banded together to report traffic on their streets and keep drivers away.

"Anything that makes our commute easier is a good thing but if you happen to be on one of those shortcut streets that Waze has just put you onto, the residents have a way of fighting back," said Kenny Morse of Mr.Traffic.com.

But Julia Mossler, a spokeswoman for the app, said in a statement: "Fake, coordinated traffic reports can't come to fruition because they'll be negated by the next 50 people that drive down the street passively using Waze."

The app further says a sophisticated system of checks and balances is in place to ensure that false reporting doesn't occur.