US troops can still be tracked by purchased location data, and Congress wants to know why
DoD controls on mobile ad identifiers haven't stopped military location data turning up for sale
U.S. senators have expressed concern over the continued ability to track military personnel using purchased location data, despite efforts to mitigate the risk. In a letter to the Defense Department Inspector General, Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Pat Harrigan (R-NC) questioned why location data on military movements persists, despite some branches disabling advertising identifiers on government-issued devices.
The lawmakers speculate that the issue may stem from the personal devices of service members and contractors, the effectiveness of disabling advertising IDs, or other factors. The issue highlights the ongoing challenges in protecting military personnel from data brokers who buy location data for bulk sales.
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