---
title: "The Military Is Buying People’s Location Data From Popular Phone Apps"
description: "The US Military is buying location data from apps without their knowledge and targeting the Muslim community. Learn how they use this data."
date: "2020-11-16"
modified: "2020-11-25"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/military-buying-peoples-location-data-popular-phone-apps"
categories:
  - "Military"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "location tracking"
  - "military technology"
  - "surveillance"
  - "the digest"
---

# The Military Is Buying People’s Location Data From Popular Phone Apps

![The military confirmed that it buys people's location data from apps, especially those targeting the Muslim community, and uses it operationally.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/us-military-buying-location-data-popular-phone-apps.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: USSOCOM\</em\>*

## Global Tracking

The U.S. military is tracking individuals around the world by buying the location data recorded by otherwise harmless apps on their phones.

Several of these apps are explicitly designed for the global Muslim community, *[Motherboard ](<https://www.vice.com/en/article/jgqm5x/us-military-location-data-xmode-locate-x>)*[reports](<https://www.vice.com/en/article/jgqm5x/us-military-location-data-xmode-locate-x>), the largest of which is a Muslim prayer app with 98 million downloads raising questions — raising questions about the Pentagon's dragnet surveillance of the Middle East.

## Scaling Up

According to *Motherboard*, some app developers may not even know they're giving data to the military — and users certainly have no idea. The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) buys data from Babel Street, which also provides services [to American police](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/cops-buying-social-media-location-data-without-warrant>).

*Motherboard*'s report is the first indication that the military has joined law enforcement in tracking civilians with these products, which in the U.S. amounts to circumventing the normal rules for obtaining data, which would typically require a warrant.

## Easily Identified

The military confirmed that it's actively gathering and making use of the location data.

"Our access to the software is used to support Special Operations Forces mission requirements overseas," Navy Commander Tim Hawkins told *Motherboard*. "We strictly adhere to established procedures and policies for protecting the privacy, civil liberties, constitutional and legal rights of American citizens."

**READ MORE:** [How the U.S. Military Buys Location Data from Ordinary Apps](<https://www.vice.com/en/article/jgqm5x/us-military-location-data-xmode-locate-x>) \[*Motherboard*\]

**More on location data:** *[Cops Are Buying Your Social Media Location Data Without a Warrant](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/cops-buying-social-media-location-data-without-warrant>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)