Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Tell HN: Google is correlating location data to your IP

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

121–130 of 135 posts

Re: Tell HN: Google is correlating location data to your IP

#121

Post by eternityforest »

justsomehnguy wrote: post #120
eternityforest wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They did seem to work perfectly well, and the ad targeting was not much worse(Half the ads now are random startup gadgets I don't want). But what about stuff like Google Assistant? Seems like Google does a lot that doesn't serve ads, so I assume it must be either to sell their hardware or to spy. Are the hardware sales alone worth it to a CEO?

> Google does a lot that doesn't serve ads Eh? Google Assistant is the quickest shortcut so serve you an ad, but also can do your calendar. > Are the hardware sales alone No way, especially the Google branded ones. But the ability to shoehorn it's ads on almost every device - is priceless. Don't forget, the Android smartphones are practically useless without Play Store and every Play Store install not only allows you…

Most of their stuff doesn't directly serve ads, I don't remember ever seeing one on Google Assistant or in Gmail.

They seem to mostly just exist to do tracking to enhance the stuff that does do ads, or to add value to some other thing that shows them, but they're not directly ad supported, they're tracking supported or pure promotions.

Re: Tell HN: Google is correlating location data to your IP

#123

Post by camgunz »

bouncycastle wrote: post #30

I recently bought a brand new pair of golf shoes from a physical store. I did not even search for them or look at any golf shoes online. The next day, I got Google ads served for the same brand of shoes I bought... Coincidence? Seemed very creepy. I know they sometimes do "re-tageting", but in this case I am sure I didn't look at any stores online. Only the fact that I physically visited a store with my tracking devi…

All your purchases are sold to marketing firms by your bank.

Re: Tell HN: Google is correlating location data to your IP

#124

Post by trimethylpurine »

jacquesm wrote: post #36
eukara wrote: post #32

I'm sorry that you were oblivious to this, but their job is to track and monetize anything they can unless it's explicitly outlawed. Even then, Alphabet breaks the rules (namely of the EU) all the time as they seem to be content with paying fines on a regular basis. https://www.wired.com/story/eu-hits-google-third-billion-dol...

The EU should add a zero to their fines. That will surely get some attention.

If they added a zero then Google would stop and then they couldn't fine them anymore. It seems you mistakenly thought that punishment was meant to dissuade bad actors. That's not how government works. Punishment is meant for politicians to profit from bad actors.

Re: Tell HN: Google is correlating location data to your IP

#125

Post by mmebane »

brador wrote: post #98
freitasm wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not from HTTP requests. Android has access to the network stack and location. Google grabs all visible APs around and correlate to your location. It is way before HTTP even happens. This data is collected while you are driving around, walking down the street, etc.

How can you block this?

On Android, find Location Services in your system settings and look for Google Location Accuracy. The description for it on my Galaxy S21 reads:

> Google's location service improves location accuracy > by using Wi-Fi, mobile networks, and sensors to help > estimate your location. Google may collect location > data periodically and use this data in an anonymous > way to improve location accuracy and location-based > services. > > Turning this off will result in your device only using GPS > for location. This may impact the accuracy of location > used by apps such as Maps and Find My Device.

Based on that description, that should turn off the data collection, although it can also make GPS fixes take longer, and there may well be other apps collecting this data as well.

Re: Tell HN: Google is correlating location data to your IP

#126

Post by nashashmi »

This might be the use of the VPN tells them to identify VPN users and get their "real" location. Lots of people may be using VPNs from Mexico. So when they see a user that has used VPN, they discard their fake IP address data and use the one they suspect is true.

Re: Tell HN: Google is correlating location data to your IP

#127

Post by wereallterrrist »

nashashmi wrote: post #126

This might be the use of the VPN tells them to identify VPN users and get their "real" location. Lots of people may be using VPNs from Mexico. So when they see a user that has used VPN, they discard their fake IP address data and use the one they suspect is true.

Its my tailscale exit node, its not a public vpn.

Sigh, i guess i wasnt clear enough but i didnt pull the conclusion out of my rear.

Days later, my stationary gaming PC still thinks its in fking Mexico.

Re: Tell HN: Google is correlating location data to your IP

#128

Post by wereallterrrist »

wdr1 wrote: post #92

If you, as the user, want to restrict this, you can do so here: https://myadcenter.google.com/controls/ads-data/historical-l... Advertisers are generally aware of this. They can control location & language targeting. Digital advertisers are aware digital target is imperfect, and that imperfection is often called "wasted" and is n priced in. Your comment about Edge on your desktop makes me thing something beyond Googl…

What? No, i just meant that its a random browser that i have no cookies on, on a stationary computer that has never left my apartment?

Re: Tell HN: Google is correlating location data to your IP

#129

Post by wereallterrrist »

AlbertCory wrote: post #24

As other people have said in exhaustive detail: where you are comes from a lot of signals other than your IP address at the VPN end of your VPN. Off the top of my head: you connected to some cell tower in Mexico. Go to google.com/history and clear out all history from all services. Go to YouTube and do the same. Clear everything from your browsers, meaning you have to log in again. If it's allowed, return the phone t…

It happens on my unsigned in TV that has been sitting in Seattle for a year. I'm really not an idiot. Idk what else to say.

Re: Tell HN: Google is correlating location data to your IP

#130

Post by wereallterrrist »

alamortsubite wrote: post #20
wereallterrrist wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can open private browsing on my laptop, and Google Shopping shows me Seattle results. But again, my gaming PC, which was offline in my apartment in Seattle, has been showing me Mexico/Spanish results in Edge. And my TV, which sits in my apartment in Seattle, is inundated with Spanish ads. I'm starting to suspect that different Google properties are using different signals, too, which makes this extra confusing. It'…

Consider that Google might know best here, and it's high time for you to pick up Spanish. J/K. Have you tried all the stupid stuff like clearing your cache and logging out and back in?

Again, edge is running on my gaming PC that has never once left Seattle. It clears cookies on exit. When i use google on it, it says im in mexico.

Idk why everyone is so gung-ho to disbelieve me. Theres NO EXPLANATION for what im seeing other than Google keeping a hint for my IP and it being currently set to "being in Mexico".

Post reply on HN