Google Question

john · May 27, 2011, 19:44:51

I've recently noticed when I do a search in Google that to the left of the results it lists 'Margate' as my location (I'm actually about 275 miles from Margate). It correctly lists the correct location when I'm on the PC at work though.

Has anyone seen this before, how long have Google been trying to 'guess' it and is the Margate location because my ISP is Idnet ?

.Griff. · May 27, 2011, 20:04:57

Mine says I'm in Camberwell for some reason.

Baz · May 27, 2011, 20:28:47

huh!!! i have never noticed that before

Im in Brighton apparently

about 276 miles away

john · May 27, 2011, 20:39:28

There's some info about it here.

Steve · May 27, 2011, 20:42:01

At least I'm not too far away,only 84 miles from were it thinks I am.

zappaDPJ · May 28, 2011, 00:12:46

I'm around 120 miles away from my location. It's all a bit Mystic Meg really, keep guessing for long enough and you'll get it in the end

DorsetBoy · May 28, 2011, 07:50:52

Better phone the ICO as according to the info in John's link Google store and use your location information

All it actually sees is the IP address and gives the server you run off as your location.

Baz · May 28, 2011, 08:28:10

Quote from: john on May 27, 2011, 20:39:28
There's some info about it here.

i see theres no way to turn it off either if you want to.

more forced onto you software

DorsetBoy · May 28, 2011, 08:35:40

Quote from: Baz on May 28, 2011, 08:28:10

i see theres no way to turn it off either if you want to.

more forced onto you software

QuoteCan I turn off location-based customization?

The customization of search results based on location is an important component of a consistent, high-quality search experience. Therefore, we haven't provided a way to turn off location customization, although we've made it easy for you to set your own location or to customize using a general location as broad as the country that matches your local domain.

If you find that your results for a particular search are more local than what you're looking for, you can set your location to a broader geographical area (such as a country instead of a city, zip code, or street address). Please note that this will greatly reduce the amount of locally relevant results that you'll see.

pctech · May 28, 2011, 08:56:04

The reason it is able to determine a location on a work connection more accurately than an ADSL connection (cant remember where it says I am on my home connection but its bang on at work) in a lot of cases is that your company will have a leased line and the IPs for these will be linked to records stating where in the country they are because they will have their own allocated IP or IP range and the records for the routers leading up to it will also.

So a connection for Bloggs industries with a provider who has a Point of Presence in Bletchley (town on the outskirts of MK but still considered MK) might have a reverse DNS of bloggs,bletchley,provider.net.uk

In the case of ADSL the route after the edge router at the ISP is hidden (or the network internals might be hidden also) so unless you are using BT which has POPs around the country it may just take a wild guess or look at the registered locaton for your IP.

Thats my understanding anyway.

Rik · May 28, 2011, 09:23:50

I go with the wild guess myself.

pctech · May 28, 2011, 09:25:47

Work connection is multi-homed in my case (connections to two POPs) and is a registered Autonomous System so plenty of info for Google to track it down to MK.

Technical Ben · May 28, 2011, 11:46:30

Quote from: Baz on May 28, 2011, 08:28:10

i see theres no way to turn it off either if you want to.

more forced onto you software

I don't think they actually take any data. So it's not forcing software, more a automatic redirect to .uk. Then, if you seach "curry house" it's an auto result with closest to your IP being more relevant.
However, the easy avoidance, would be to just order by other preferences, or enter manually a location (such as "curry house in scotland".
It's like Google automatically lists via popularity, then relevance etc. But you can rejig it if you need to.

DorsetBoy · May 28, 2011, 13:29:58

Quote from: Technical Ben on May 28, 2011, 11:46:30
I don't think they actually take any data. So it's not forcing software, more a automatic redirect to .uk. Then, if you seach "curry house" it's an auto result with closest to your IP being more relevant.
However, the easy avoidance, would be to just order by other preferences, or enter manually a location (such as "curry house in scotland".
It's like Google automatically lists via popularity, then relevance etc. But you can rejig it if you need to.

Mmmm.... they most certainly do log info and use it to serve content and analyse browsing habits.

Technical Ben · May 28, 2011, 17:33:30

Fair enough. I thought the location guessing part was down to user facing parts of the web page.
Such as those little Sig pics that tell you "You are using Windows 7, and your IP is:" etc.