A Crucial Step for Troop Safety
In a move that strengthens the protection of U.S. Armed Forces, the U.S. Air Force disabled advertising identifiers (advertising IDs) on computers and mobile phones two months ago. This action follows the recent decision by the U.S. Special Operations Command to disable these identifiers on Windows devices, as reported by Reuters via The Guardian.
The U.S. Army confirmed that advertising IDs on mobile devices have been disabled since at least February 2026, and on Windows computers, since before 2021. The Navy, for its part, did not respond to requests for comment.
What Are Advertising Identifiers?
Mobile Advertising IDs (MAIDs) are unique identifiers assigned to each device, allowing companies to track user activity and, in some cases, physical location. While designed for advertising, these data can be exploited by malicious actors to surveil specific individuals.
Context: The Risk of Tracking in the Middle East
The measure comes after Reuters reported in July 2026 that deployed personnel could be required to hand over their phones due to the risk that videos posted on social media could help Iran attack U.S. bases. Commercial location data had already been used to track troops in the region.
Lawmakers Demand More Action
Senator Ron Wyden (Democrat, Oregon) and Representative Pat Harrigan (Republican, North Carolina) sent a letter to the Pentagon requesting an investigation into the effectiveness of these measures. Wyden stated that military efforts "have not been effective in neutralizing this threat", while Harrigan emphasized that U.S. enemies "should not be able to use a credit card to buy information that helps track troops".
The Pentagon responded that it will reply directly to the lawmakers.
Experts Warn of Limitations
Zach Edwards, co-founder of Decryptads, called the restrictions "positive", but warned that tracking could persist through triangulation of technical and network data. This means that even if identifiers are removed, adversaries could use other signals to locate soldiers.
Summary of Actions
| Military Branch | Action | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | Disabled IDs on mobile and computers | 2 months ago (July 2026) |
| Special Operations Command | Disabled IDs on Windows | Recently |
| Army | Mobile IDs disabled | Since February 2026 |
| Army | Windows IDs disabled | Before 2021 |
Troop safety is a priority, and while these measures represent progress, experts and lawmakers agree that constant vigilance is needed to close all possible gaps.