Spyware Firm Tracked Starlink Users in 105 Countries, Report Finds

An Israeli advertising technology company allegedly tracked users of Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service across over 100 countries, potentially using online ads to monitor locations and activities, according to a new report. Researchers at TrendAI, a Trend Micro division, identified the operator under the codename Shadow-Earth-79 as the leading bidder for Starlink advertising space in 105 countries, winning about 13% of bids. Six sources told Reuters the codename referred to Discover-Tech, already accused of using ad systems for surveillance. The investigation examined advertising auctions, which can expose device and location data to bidders. Discover-Tech faced prior scrutiny after Citizen Lab and Confiant linked its infrastructure to spyware delivery, prompting Google and others to restrict its access in early October.