Expand / Collapse search
☰

ATF cancels contract for phone surveillance tool after legal concerns

By
FOX Local
U.S.
Published June 29, 2026 8:20 AM PDT
Published June 29, 2026 8:20 AM PDT
article

FILE-The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is seen on the podium at an event. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

The Brief 

    • The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ended a contract for a phone surveillance tool that allows the agencies to avoid warrant requirements.
    • The tool, called Webloc, uses data from consumer apps and some networks, gathering the location of mobile devices from people who download apps or search the internet.
    • Some legislators have expressed doubts about the legality of the phone tool. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the federal agency that imposes the nation’s gun laws, canceled its contract for a surveillance tool that allows warrantless monitoring of mobile devices over concerns from some about the lawfulness of the tool in criminal probes. 

ATF officials told The Associated Press that it would cease what it referred to as a "pilot" program utilizing a tool called Webloc.

RELATED: CIA uses drones to sniff out cartels and fentanyl labs in Mexico: US official

Texas Rep. Michael Cloud and Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden expressed skepticism about the ATF’s use of commercial location data. 

What is Webloc?

Dig deeper:

Webloc sources data from consumer apps and advertising networks, which gathers the location of mobile devices from consumers who download apps or browse the web. The U.S. military, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and some local authorities also use Webloc, according to The Associated Press. 

ATF releases statement on Webloc 

What they're saying:

ATF provided an emailed statement to The Associated Press explaining to the news outlet that it determined that the tool "does not meet our needs." ATF stated it is not using any other ad-tech-sourced services.

"ATF continually evaluates tools and techniques to enhance our investigations and ultimately reduce violent crime in American communities. We did conduct a pilot with Webloc to determine if it could improve our investigative capabilities," an ATF spokesperson said in an email.

Webloc was originally made by an Israeli company called Cobwebs before it was bought and merged with a U.S. company called Penlink.

The Source: Information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, which obtained an email statement from the ATF on Webloc. This story was reported from Washington, D.C. 


 

U.S.