US Military Disables Device Tracking Over Middle East Troop Safety Concerns
The US military has disabled advertising tracking identifiers on service phones and computers. The move follows reports that commercial geolocation data was being used to track American forces deployed in the Middle East.
US military officials told Reuters on Friday that they have disabled tracking mechanisms used for marketing on a variety of phones and computers. The move follows reports that commercially available location data was being used to track US forces in the Middle East.
Broad Security Measures
The US Air Force informed US Senator Ron Wyden that it disabled advertising identifiers on computers and mobile phones two months ago. The US Special Operations Command noted in a separate letter that it recently disabled them on Windows-based devices. The Army told Reuters that mobile advertising identifiers were deactivated earlier this year.
These disclosures highlight a growing national security concern: location data collected by the advertising industry and sold by data brokers can be used to track military personnel deployed in combat zones and target them.
The Air Force and US Special Operations Command declined to comment to Reuters.
Implementation Discrepancies
In similar letters sent to Wyden by the Army and Navy, it was noted that they blocked the use of advertising identifiers on military devices, but the exact dates of these restrictions were not specified. In an official statement, the Army said advertising identifiers were blocked on Windows computers before 2021, but on Android and Apple mobile devices, the option will be disabled by default only by February 2026 at the earliest.
The effort to reduce location data generated by smartphones comes as military officials consider imposing stricter restrictions on phone use in general. In July, Reuters reported that some military personnel deployed in the Middle East may be required to hand over their phones amid concerns that videos they uploaded online helped Iran locate US bases in the region.
Congressional Reaction
Senator Wyden and Representative Pat Harrigan sent a letter to the Pentagon requesting an investigation into whether the military has properly addressed the dangers associated with the trade of location data.
Senator Wyden stated:
"It is clear that the military's efforts were not effective in neutralizing this threat."
Harrigan added that US adversaries should not be able to pull out a credit card and purchase information that helps them track American forces.
Mobile advertising identifiers (MAIDs) are unique identifiers associated with specific devices. They can be used to track a person's activity across mobile apps and pinpoint their physical location.
