Exclusive-Pentagon says US military personnel are reportedly bein
Exclusive-Pentagon says US military personnel are reportedly bein
https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/exclusive-pentagon-us-military-personnel-reportedly-being/
Publish Date: 2026-05-28 06:14:00
Source Domain: www.globalbankingandfinance.com
US military personnel are being targeted using location data, Pentagon letter shows
By Raphael Satter
Commercial Location Data and Its Impact on US Military Security
WASHINGTON, May 28 (Reuters) – U.S. forces deployed to war zones have been targeted using commercially available location data, according to reports fielded by military officials, an illustration of how the global surveillance economy is shaping the battlefield.
Pentagon Confirmation and Lawmaker Response
In a letter shared with Reuters by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, U.S. Central Command said it had “received multiple threat reports concerning adversary exploitation of commercial location data to target or surveil U.S. personnel in theater.” The message, sent on April 14, offered no further specifics, but Centcom’s area of responsibility includes the Gulf, where U.S. forces are facing off against the Iranian military over the Strait of Hormuz.
The disclosure was the first official confirmation that U.S. forces had been targeted in an active war zone, Wyden and a bipartisan group of legislators said in a letter sent on Thursday to the Pentagon.
Risks of Commercial Location Data
“Commercial location data can be used to identify where U.S. troops congregate and their pattern of life, which can be exploited by adversaries to target attacks such as missiles, drones, and roadside bombs, as well as for counterintelligence purposes,” the letter warned. Wyden said in a statement that it was time to “start treating the adtech industry as a national security threat.”
The Pentagon said in an email it would respond directly to the lawmakers but did not elaborate. The lawmakers said in their letter that their efforts to obtain more information from military officials about the reported targeting had been unsuccessful.
Location Data Trade and Privacy Concerns
How Location Data is Collected and Sold
LOCATION DATA TRADE FUELS PRIVACY CONCERNS
Location data is widely used in digital advertising,…
