US MILITARY TARGETED VIA LOCATION DATA FROM AD TECH

US officials revealed that troops faced targeting threats stemming from location information harvested by the adtech ecosystem. The disclosure raises urgent questions about how commercial data brokers and ad networks handle sensitive location information. A leading privacy advocate in Congress characterized the adtech industry as a national security risk, arguing the sector's practices threaten military operations and personnel safety. The targeting of troops highlights broader vulnerabilities in how location data flows through commercial platforms. Adtech companies typically collect and monetize location data from mobile devices and apps. This information is sold to advertisers but can be accessed by malicious actors seeking to identify and track specific individuals or groups. The incident underscores ongoing tensions between commercial data practices and national security concerns. Lawmakers have increasingly scrutinized how much sensitive information remains accessible through unregulated ad tech channels, particularly when that data could compromise military operations or personnel.