Israeli Apps Track Phones

The Israeli-origin tool “Webloc” collects location data and links it to a phone’s unique advertising ID, using signals from GPS, cellular networks, and Wi-Fi. It retains the data for up to 12 months, allowing it to create around 70,000 tracking points and map users’ movements. According to a Bloomberg report, its data may be gathered through apps such as Muslim Pro and AccuWeather. The company that now owns it, the U.S.-based Penlink, sells the data to law-enforcement agencies through annual licenses costing nearly $100,000. Between 2022 and 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spent about $9 million on four contracts with the company. The company has showcased uses including tracking protesters and monitoring people’s movements. The report recommends using official or paid apps and avoiding smaller ad-supported apps to limit data collection.

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