The US military has disabled advertising trackers on various devices after concerns that commercially available location data was being used to pinpoint American forces in the Middle East. This action follows revelations published in letters by US Senator Ron Wyden and statements issued to Reuters. The move is part of a broader strategy to enhance national security amid rising fears about tracking technologies.

The Air Force informed Wyden that it took measures to disable advertising identifiers on computers and mobile devices two months prior to the letters’ release. Additionally, US Special Operations Command indicated in a separate communication that it had recently deactivated advertising identifiers on its Windows platforms. Meanwhile, the Army confirmed to Reuters that it has taken similar actions concerning mobile devices since earlier this year.

Senator Wyden, representing Oregon, has consistently urged the Pentagon to address this critical issue. The recent disclosures highlight significant vulnerabilities regarding the use of location data gathered by the advertising industry, which data brokers utilise to track military personnel deployed in combat zones.

Disabling Advertising IDs Across Services

The Army and Navy sent messages to Wyden confirming the disabling of advertising identifiers on military equipment, although they did not specify the timeline of these actions. The Army stated that it had blocked advertising IDs on Windows computers prior to 2021. As for mobile devices from Android and Apple, the disabling of this feature had been operational by default since February 2026.

Despite multiple inquiries, the Navy did not provide responses to requests for further comments. The initiative to limit location data from smartphones coincides with the reconsideration of restrictions on mobile device usage among military personnel. In July, it was reported that some service members in the Middle East might be required to surrender their phones, following concerns that the videos they shared online were assisting Iranian forces in targeting US bases in the area.

On September 2, 2026, Wyden and US Representative Pat Harrigan, a Republican from North Carolina, urged the Pentagon to investigate whether the military adequately addressed the risks posed by the location data market. Their letter incorporated updates from various military branches about their measures to disable advertising IDs on devices.

Reactions and Ongoing Concerns Regarding Data Privacy

In a statement, Wyden noted that the military’s current efforts have not been effective at mitigating this ongoing threat. Harrigan expressed his concerns, stating that adversaries should not be permitted to easily purchase information that aids in tracing American troops. The Pentagon replied via email that it would address these concerns directly with the lawmakers involved.

Mobile advertising IDs, commonly referred to as MAIDs, serve as unique identifiers linked to specific devices, enabling tracking of individual activities across various mobile applications while also allowing for precise location identification. Zach Edwards, co-founder of Decryptads, a privacy-focused ad tech firm, acknowledged the move to disable MAIDs on military devices as a positive development.

Edwards emphasized that the restrictions should prevent personnel location information from being included in bulk data sales by numerous vendors. Nevertheless, he cautioned that there remains the potential for tracking personnel through alternative, more complex mechanisms, such as triangulating technical device specifics with network data or other location-related information.

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