U.S. military personnel deployed in active war zones are reportedly being targeted using commercially available location data. This alarming development was confirmed in a letter shared by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, highlighting the risks posed by the global surveillance economy on national security.
Threats to U.S. Forces
The U.S. Central Command (Centcom) has received multiple reports of adversaries exploiting commercial location data to target or surveil U.S. forces. These threats are particularly concerning in areas like the Gulf, where tensions with the Iranian military are high. The ability to track U.S. troops’ movements and congregations poses significant risks, including potential attacks using missiles, drones, and roadside bombs.
Senator Wyden, along with a bipartisan group of legislators, has expressed the need to address the adtech industry as a national security threat. The Pentagon has yet to provide further details or comment on the issue, despite lawmakers’ attempts to gather more information.
Privacy and Security Concerns
The trade of location data, commonly used in digital advertising, has long been a topic of privacy discussions. However, its implications for national security have only recently gained attention. Reports indicate that as early as 2016, commercially available location data was used to track U.S. special operations forces from the U.S. to Syria.
Recent investigations by journalists have further exposed how data brokers can reveal the movements of personnel at U.S. military sites, raising alarms about the potential for adversaries to exploit this information.
Calls for Action
Lawmakers have urged the Pentagon to take immediate measures to protect military personnel. Suggestions include disabling advertising IDs on military-issued devices, automatically turning off location sharing on smartphones in the field, and encouraging the use of privacy-focused web browsers instead of data-collecting ones like Google Chrome.
U.S. Representative Pat Harrigan, a former Army Special Forces officer, emphasized the risks posed by browsers designed to collect and share user data. Meanwhile, Google has defended Chrome’s security features and advocated for stronger regulations on data brokers.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
