US military disables ad trackers on phones, computers amid target fears in Middle East: Report

The U.S. military has disabled advertising trackers on various devices used by its personnel, following concerns that commercial location data could be exploited to track and target American forces in the Middle East, according to a report by British news agency Reuters. The decision was made following letters released by US Senator Ron Wyden and statements from military officials.

The US Air Force and Special Operations Command disabled the advertising identifiers on computers and mobile phones, while the Army confirmed disabling identifiers on mobile devices since early 2021 and on Windows computers prior to 2021. Android and Apple mobile devices had their identifiers disabled by default since at least February 2026.

Military officials emphasized the potential risks associated with commercially available location data, which can be used to track and target military personnel. The disclosures raise national security concerns as this data can be sold by data brokers to third parties, potentially revealing a person's location and movements. Senator Wyden and Representative Pat Harrigan have called on the Pentagon to investigate the effectiveness of these measures.

The Pentagon stated it would respond to the lawmakers, and the move comes as the U.S. military considers broader restrictions on smartphone use by personnel in the Middle East.