Teecht. Novel Policy Prohibits Gps Tracking Inwards Deployed Settings

By Jim Garamone, DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON -- Deployed service members may bring to ditch their fitness trackers inwards answer to a novel memo from Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan prohibiting the usage of GPS functions inwards deployed locations.

This includes physical fitness aids, applications inwards phones that runway locations, together with other devices together with apps that pinpoint together with runway the location of individuals.

“Effective immediately, Defense Department personnel are prohibited from using geolocation features together with functionality on regime together with nongovernment-issued devices, applications together with services piece inwards locations designated equally operational areas,” Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Robert Manning III told Pentagon reporters today.

Deployed personnel are inwards “operational areas,” together with commanders volition brand a conclusion on other areas where this policy may apply.

The marketplace for these devices has exploded over the by few years, amongst many service members incorporating them into their workout routines. They usage the devices together with applications to runway their pace, running routes, calories burned together with more. These devices together with hence shop the information together with upload it to key servers where it tin hold out shared amongst 3rd parties. That information tin acquaint enemies amongst information on armed services operations.

Using GPS Devices Pose Risk

“The speedily evolving marketplace of devices, applications together with services amongst geolocation capabilities presents a pregnant gamble to the Department of Defense personnel on together with off duty, together with to our armed services operations globally,” Manning said.

These Global Positioning System capabilities tin give away personal information, locations, routines together with numbers of DoD personnel. Their usage inwards overseas locations “potentially exercise unintended safety consequences together with increased gamble to the articulation forcefulness together with mission,” Manning said.

Personal phones together with other portable devices likewise incorporate apps that rely on GPS technology, together with they volition hold out affected. Commanders volition hold out responsible for implementing the policy, together with they volition hold out allowed to brand exceptions entirely subsequently conducting a thorough gamble assessment.

Security is at the pump of this guidance. DoD seeking a balanced agency that allows for legitimate official together with personal uses of geolocation applied scientific discipline that does non impact security.

Manning said the subdivision volition proceed to study the gamble associated amongst these devices together with alter the policy equally needed.