I was blasting own the highway the other day when I encountered a slow semi truck, so I signaled, pulled into the left lane, and accelerated past them. Then my phone chimed. Google maps wanted me to know there was a police cruiser hiding beneath the overpass ahead.

Not only that, but Google Maps prompted me to confirm or deny that the cop was still parked there. If I clicked “yes” I would be conspiring to warn other drivers about a speed trap. This made me stop and think.

Have you ever wondered if it’s legal to send a report of police activity in to Waze or Google Maps? All of these police notifications we get do, after all, come from reports sent in by other drivers and confirmed by still more drivers. Well the truth is that police may not like the new tech, but there’s nothing illegal about it.

There never has been a law against two civilians discussing police activity. So if you flash your headlights to warn drivers of an impending speed trap, that’s fine. You can even call your friend to tell them there’s a cop on a highway they’re about to commute (if you have a handsfree phone setup).

Lawyer Drew Cochran argues that the practice is 100% legal. He points out that an Ohio man literally put up a sign to warn drivers abotu a police checkpoint ahead. In that case, the police went as far as to arrest him. But they had no legal case and the charges were dropped.

The same thing is true in other countries: There are radio stations in Germany that share the location of police officers on the notorious Autobahn highway. Yes, even without speed limits, you can get pulled over for reckless driving.

Anyway, all of this brings us back to Google Maps and Waze. You don’t have to choose to share traffic stops with your fellow drivers through these apps. But there’s currently no law against it. Next, find out where and when police speed traps are illegal.