WASHINGTON — U.S. Central Command confirmed in May 2026 that it has not disabled advertising IDs on government-issued smartphones, despite warnings from 14 members of Congress about the national security risks posed by commercial location data. The command stated that the Defense Information Systems Agency is testing a capability to disable the identifier, which data brokers and advertisers use to track users across apps and websites.

In 2018, the Department of Defense issued a directive banning geolocation-sharing apps and devices in operational areas. U.S. Central Command only gained the administrative capability to disable location sharing on smartphones in May 2026. However, the advertising ID—a separate unique identifier on both iOS and Android devices—remains active on government-issued phones. The National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have recommended disabling this ID to reduce tracking risks.

Fourteen members of Congress, led by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., sent a letter to Pentagon Chief Information Officer Kirsten Davies warning that the Department of Defense has not implemented basic safeguards against the exploitation of personal data to target U.S. military personnel. U.S. Central Command has received multiple threat reports indicating that adversaries are using commercially available location data to surveil or target American troops in operational theaters.

Commercial location data, which can be purchased from legitimate data brokers for a nominal fee, reveals patterns of life and routines of individuals, particularly those stationed in remote or fixed locations. According to the lawmakers’ letter, this information can be used to identify troop concentrations and movement patterns, enabling adversaries to conduct missile, drone, or roadside bomb attacks, as well as support counterintelligence operations.

Lawmakers urged the Department of Defense to disable the advertising ID on all agency-issued devices and require personnel to turn it off on personal phones used overseas or on military installations. They also called for the removal of web browsers designed to facilitate data collection by Google and other advertising firms, and recommended pre-installing privacy-focused browsers with anti-tracking features such as ad blockers and compliance with the Global Privacy Control, a standard enforced by law in 12 states.

“It’s time to start treating the adtech industry as a national security threat,” Wyden said in a statement. Lawmakers reported that their attempts to obtain more information from military officials about confirmed targeting incidents had been unsuccessful. The Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment on the issue.