Spy Games: How Data Brokers Turned U.S. Military Bases Into Open Books
A device commuting daily in Wiesbaden, Germany, is at the heart of a security risk, revealing how digital advertising data can track US military personnel. This unregulated sale of mobile location data exposes sensitive routines and facilities, posing a significant threat to national security and underlining the urgent need for stricter data broker regulations.
Hot Take:
Who knew that the biggest threat to U.S. national security might just be the smartphone in your pocket? It’s like a real-life game of ‘Find My iPhone,’ but instead of a lost phone, it’s potentially a lost military secret! You’d think the DOD had learned from the last time spyware hit, but nope, here we are, playing Hide and Seek with data brokers. Someone tell James Bond he’s got competition from a data broker in Florida!
Key Points:
- Digital advertising data is being used to track U.S. military personnel’s movements overseas.
- Location data from mobile devices exposes military routines and sensitive areas.
- Lack of regulation in data sales poses a significant national security risk.
- Efforts to legislate privacy protections are stalled in Congress.
- FTC is planning to take legal action to protect military installations from surveillance.