Lawmakers Call for Investigation into Continued Tracking of U.S. Troops via Commercial Location Data
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Representative Pat Harrigan (R-NC) have requested an investigation by the Defense Department Inspector General. They are seeking to understand why commercially purchased location data continues to be available, allowing for the tracking and targeting of U.S. military personnel, despite efforts by the Department of Defense (DoD) to mitigate this threat. In May, Wyden, Harrigan, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers highlighted how mobile apps and advertising SDKs capture location data that can be used to identify military gatherings. The DoD has been aware of this vulnerability since at least 2016. While various military branches, including the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Special Operations Command, have confirmed they now disable advertising identifiers on government-issued devices, reports indicate that location data tied to U.S. military personnel remains accessible. The lawmakers' letter to the DoD IG expresses concern over these ongoing reports, questioning ... 
