this post was submitted on 03 Mar 2026
135 points (98.6% liked)

Technology

technology@lemmy.world
82285 readers
4486 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.

Our Rules

  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related news or articles.
  3. Be excellent to each other!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, this includes using AI responses and summaries. To ask if your bot can be added please contact a mod.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
  10. Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.

Approved Bots

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
L3s@lemmy.world
enu@lemmy.world
technopagan@lemmy.world
L4s@lemmy.world
L3s@hackingne.ws
135
CBP Tapped Into the Online Advertising Ecosystem To Track Peoples’ Movements (www.404media.co)
submitted 2 days 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/

top 6 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Feyd@programming.dev 37 points 2 days ago (1 child)

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

[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 12 points 2 days 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 26 points 2 days ago (1 child)

Wow!

Another reason to block ads by literally any means possible!

[–] roofuskit@lemmy.world 14 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days 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.