U.S. military personnel are disabling “ad trackers” (mobile advertising IDs) on their phones and computers over fears they could become targets of an Iranian attack. The matter came to light in a letter written by U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, released last Friday.
Several U.S. military officials told Reuters the same thing, saying the “ad trackers” on their various phones and computers had been disabled.
The disclosure comes amid ongoing discussion over reports that Iran has been using commercially available location data to target American troops stationed in the Middle East.
An “ad tracker” refers to technology that can collect and follow a phone or computer user’s location, browsing information, app usage or other online activity. This data is typically used to serve targeted advertising to users.
The U.S. Air Force told Wyden it disabled the ad trackers on its computers and phones two months ago.
In a separate letter, U.S. Special Operations Command said it recently disabled these identifier systems on its Windows-powered devices.
The U.S. Army told Reuters it has kept the ad trackers on its phones disabled since earlier this year.
Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, has spent months pressing the Pentagon for accountability and action on the issue.
The advertising industry’s collection of location data on phone and computer users, and its sale to data brokers, has raised growing national security concerns. Such data could be used to identify and target the locations of military personnel deployed in a war zone.
A data broker is a company that collects and compiles personal information and later sells it to others.
The Air Force and Special Operations Command declined to comment further on the matter. Separate letters from the Army and Navy to Wyden said advertising IDs had been disabled on military devices, though the letters did not specify exactly when the restrictions took effect.
The Army said in a statement that advertising IDs on Windows computers had been disabled even before 2021, but that on Android and Apple phones, the feature has been automatically disabled since at least February 2026.
This effort to reduce the amount of location data available from smartphones comes as U.S. military officials are considering broader restrictions on phone use overall.
A Reuters report last July said some U.S. troops deployed in the Middle East might be asked to hand in their phones, amid concern that videos they post online could be used by Iran to target U.S. bases in the region.
Wyden and North Carolina Republican Rep. Pat Harrigan sent a letter to the Pentagon last Friday demanding an investigation. In the letter, they asked officials to examine whether the risks associated with the buying and selling of military personnel location data have been adequately addressed.
The letter also included information provided by various branches of the military detailing the steps they have taken to disable “ad IDs” on military phones and computers.