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Starlink Users Targeted for Spying Via Ad Tech
27 Oct
Summary
- An Israeli ad tech firm allegedly targeted Starlink users for spying.
- Digital ad bids were reportedly used to geolocate and surveil users.
- Several companies removed the ad tech firm from their platforms.
An Israeli ad tech firm, Discover-Tech, has been accused of using digital advertising to spy on users of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service. Researchers at TrendAI, a unit of Trend Micro, identified Discover-Tech as a major source of ads shown to Starlink users, suggesting a coordinated effort for geolocation and surveillance.
Discover-Tech was reportedly the top bidder for ads targeting Starlink traffic in over 100 countries. While TrendAI's public report did not name the company, citing concerns about "hype-driven labels," other groups like Citizen Lab and Confiant did identify Discover-Tech by name. These organizations stated that the company exploited ad bidding processes, which can leak user data.
Sensitive networks belonging to media, governments, and tech firms were among those where Discover-Tech's ads were displayed. Following these revelations, major platforms including Google and Comcast took action to remove the company from their ad systems. Inquiries into whether Discover-Tech targeted employees have been launched by at least one major US tech company and an international organization.
