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US military disabled ad tracking on troops’ devices following reports oftargeted attacks
The US military has disabled advertising tracking on troops' devices to protect their location data from adversaries. The decision, prompted by targeted attacks reported by Sen. Ron Wyden, affects all branches of the military. While this measure enhances security, there are concerns that personal devices could still pose risks, as the intelligence community continues to purchase location data without warrants.
Key points
- The U.S. military disabled ad tracking on devices to safeguard troop locations.
- Sen. Ron Wyden highlighted the targeted attacks on troops due to location data.
- All military departments, including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps implemented the changes.
- Disabling ad tracking makes it harder to identify individual location data.
- The Air Force made changes in July 2023, while others were rolled out earlier.
- Adversaries used commercially obtained location data to target troops.
- Wyden expressed concerns about personal devices still being a risk.
- U.S. intelligence and FBI buy location data without warrants, posing ethical concerns.
Why it matters
- The incident relates to growing privacy concerns regarding data collection on individuals.
- Barriers for military personnel regarding private tech and personal devices are increasingly scrutinized.
- The trend towards increased privacy protections for service members aligns with 2025 IT trends emphasizing data security and privacy in technology.
Disabling advertising tracking represents a critical step in safeguarding U.S. military personnel, though ongoing privacy challenges remain due to personal devices and intelligence practices.