International Desk

The US military has disabled “ad trackers” or mobile advertising IDs on its smartphones and computers amid concerns that Iran could use commercially collected location data to identify and target American troops stationed in the Middle East.

The issue was highlighted in a letter released by US Senator Ron Wyden. Several US military officials also told Reuters that ad trackers had been disabled on various types of phones and computers used by military personnel.

Ad trackers are technologies capable of collecting information about users’ locations, browsing data, app usage patterns and online activities. While such information is generally used to deliver targeted advertising, location data associated with military personnel can pose security risks.

The US Air Force said ad trackers on its computers and mobile devices were disabled about two months ago. The Special Operations Command also said similar identification systems had recently been disabled on its Windows-based devices.

According to information from the US Army, advertising IDs on Windows computers had already been disabled before 2021. On Android and Apple smartphones, the feature has been automatically disabled since at least February 2026.

Senator Ron Wyden has been calling on the Pentagon for several months to address the risks associated with the use of commercially obtained location data. His main concern is that location information collected by the advertising industry could be bought and sold through data brokers, potentially exposing the whereabouts of military personnel.

Data brokers are companies that collect and compile personal information from various sources and then sell it to individuals or organisations.

Meanwhile, US military officials are also considering imposing stricter restrictions on smartphone use. A Reuters report in July said some US troops deployed in the Middle East could be required to hand over their phones. The measure is being considered amid concerns that the locations of US military bases could be identified through videos posted online and other publicly available information.

Wyden and Republican Representative Pat Harrigan of North Carolina called for an investigation into the matter in a letter sent to the Pentagon on Friday. They urged officials to examine whether the risks associated with the buying and selling of location information belonging to the military and its personnel are being adequately addressed.