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Title

Article: CBP Tapped Into the Online Advertising Ecosystem To Track Peoples’ Movements

Impact Score

6 / 10

AI Summary (Processed Content)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection purchased precise location data derived from ordinary apps through the online advertising ecosystem for surveillance. This follows similar purchases by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has expressed further interest in such "Ad Tech" data for investigations.

The practice highlights the significant power and risk of advertising data being leveraged by government agencies. In response to these revelations, a group of approximately 70 lawmakers has called for a new investigation into ICE's data purchases.

A civil liberties expert describes this type of information as a "goldmine" for tracking individuals' movements and habits.

Main Topics: Government surveillance, purchase of commercial location data, advertising technology (Ad Tech), involvement of CBP and ICE, legislative response.

Original URL

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

Source Feed

404 Media

Published Date

2026-03-03 14:03

Fetched Date

2026-03-04 14:36

Processed Date

2026-03-04 14:42

Embedding Status

Present

Cluster ID

Not Clustered

Raw Extracted Content

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.