US Central Command Confirms Adversaries Tracked Troops By Ad Data
USCENTCOM told Wyden's office on April 14 that adversaries tracked troops' phones during Operation Epic Fury using commercial location data.
- 14 lawmakers, including Wyden, Warren and Harrigan, urged DOD to drop Chrome for a private browser.
- Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Special Operations Command disabled ad IDs on government phones.
- On September 4, Wyden and Harrigan told the Pentagon's inspector general personal phones still leak data.
Why it matters: A command can confirm the threat and a policy can still leave the marketplace that creates it untouched.
Sen. Ron Wyden press release (May 28, 2026) ↗ · Sep 4, 20269/4/26 · Updated Sep 4