this post was submitted on 03 Mar 2026
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134
CBP Tapped Into the Online Advertising Ecosystem To Track Peoples’ Movements (www.404media.co)
submitted 1 day ago by tonytins@pawb.social to c/technology@lemmy.world
6 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) bought data from the online advertising ecosystem to track peoples’ precise movements over time, in a process that often involves siphoning data from ordinary apps like video games, dating services, and fitness trackers, according to an internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) document obtained by 404 Media.

The document shows in stark terms the power, and potential risk, of online advertising data and how it can be leveraged by government agencies for surveillance purposes. The news comes after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) purchased similar tools that can monitor the movements of phones in entire neighbourhoods. ICE also recently said in public procurement documents it was interested in sourcing more “Ad Tech” data for its investigations. Following 404 Media’s revelation of that ICE purchase, on Tuesday a group of around 70 lawmakers urged the DHS oversight body to conduct a new investigation into ICE’s location data buying.

This sort of information is a “goldmine for tracking where every person is and what they read, watch, and listen to,” Johnny Ryan, director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) Enforce, which has closely followed the sale of advertising data, told 404 Media in an email.

https://web.archive.org/web/20260303141140/https://www.404media.co/cbp-tapped-into-the-online-advertising-ecosystem-to-track-peoples-movements/

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[–] Feyd@programming.dev 36 points 1 day ago (1 child)

And this is why the "online advertising ecosystem" should not be allowed to exist

[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago

I've said it before and I'll keep saying it. I have no problem with ads if you stop fucking tracking me. I will look at nearly every ad I get in the mail because I know there's almost zero risk of it coming back to bite me.

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 25 points 1 day ago (1 child)

Wow!

Another reason to block ads by literally any means possible!

[–] roofuskit@lemmy.world 14 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

We need an amendment to end the third party doctrine. It's absolutely absurd that when I elect to give custody of my information to one entity that I am giving it up to anyone and everyone. I highly doubt the founding fathers would be OK with money being the governments loophole to the 4th amendment.