U.S. military branches have disabled advertising trackers on a variety of phones and computers used by service members, according to letters released on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. The action follows reports that commercially available location data has been used to target American forces stationed in the Middle East.
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) has pressed the Pentagon for months regarding the national security risks posed by the data brokerage industry. Service branches reported differing timelines for restrictions; the Army stated that advertising identifiers (IDs) on Windows computers have been blocked since before 2021, while Android and Apple mobile devices had them disabled by default since at least February 2026.
According to the disclosures, the Air Force disabled advertising trackers on its computers and mobile phones in July 2026. U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) stated it recently disabled them on Windows devices. Mobile advertising IDs, or MAIDs, are unique strings tied to individual devices that allow the advertising industry to track user activity across apps and establish physical locations.
By disabling advertising trackers, military officials aim to prevent data brokers from selling bulk location information. U.S. Representative Pat Harrigan (R-NC) stated that adversaries should not be able to "pull out a credit card and buy information that helps them track American troops."
For individual service members, this technical change means government-issued mobile devices and computers no longer generate unique MAID codes. Privacy experts like Zach Edwards of Decryptads noted this is a positive step but cautioned that personnel may still be subject to tracking through methods such as triangulating network data or technical device details. The restrictions coincide with broader military discussions about personal device use; in July 2026, reports indicated that some personnel in the Middle East might be ordered to surrender phones to prevent social media videos from helping Iran target American bases.
Senator Wyden and Representative Harrigan sent a letter to the Pentagon on Sept. 4, 2026, calling for an investigation into whether the military has sufficiently addressed the risks of commercial location data. The Pentagon has stated it will respond to the lawmakers directly.