When you are walking down the street, there is someone who is following you without your knowledge and controlling your every move. What’s going through your mind? How would you feel if people in your area knew where you were and what you were doing? What if advertisers could access your location, too? They know where you want to go, they will find you wherever you go, and even you can’t get rid of some ads tailored to you. It’s a tracking phenomenon called geolocation. Do you know what this means?

If you’re curious or intimidated by geolocation, this article will give you the answer. In this article, you will have the opportunity to learn as much as you can about Geolocation. You will learn:

• What is the Geolocation API?
• How is Geolocation implemented?
• Is Geolocation good or bad?
• How do I control my geolocation?

How does geolocation work?

Geolocation API

It is common for websites to obtain users’ location information. A common way to obtain location information is through the Geolocation API provided by H5.

The Geolocation API provides a way to know exactly where a browser user is currently located. And for now, there’s good browser support (new versions of IE also support APIs). The API provides detailed geographic location information for users, including latitude and longitude, altitude, accuracy, and movement speed. To learn more about the Geolocation API, click here.

Geolocation technology

Location is obtained primarily by collecting information about the user, which is then sent by the browser to the default location service provider (such as Google Location Services), which calculates your location. Finally, the user’s location information is shared on the site you requested.

So what is the main way to get this information? Mainly through GPS positioning system and so on.

1) GPS

GPS (full name: Global Positioning System) refers to the Global Positioning System, which is developed and maintained by the U.S. Department of Defense’s mid-range circular orbit satellite navigation System.

It can for the vast majority of earth’s surface area (98%) to provide an accurate location, speed, and high precision standard time, can meet the world anywhere on the ground or near-earth space military users continuously and accurately determine the three-dimensional position, three-dimensional motion and the demand of the time, civilian GPS position precision can reach 10 meters.

Through the use of the United States GPS satellite positioning system can achieve 24-hour global positioning.

2) Positioning based on base stations

What is a base station? The base station is a public mobile communication base station, is a form of the radio station. Is in a certain radio coverage area, through the mobile communication exchange center, and mobile phone terminals between the transmission of the information radio station.

Compared with GPS, which is easily blocked by buildings, base station positioning can be applied to indoor scenes.

3) IP address

An IP address is a logical address of a user on the network. Using an IP address requires Internet access. Therefore, the IP address is exposed when a user accesses the Internet. Therefore, the location of the user can be obtained by querying the records of the IP level organization. Of course, most of the time, the location of the ISP room is obtained.

It’s not very precise, but it still tells you where you are.

4) User specified location

This is very rare and usually occurs when the user has some means to control his geographical location.

Is Geolocation good or bad?

As we all know, with the development of Internet technology, due to the location API provided by HTML5, most browsers also provide relevant technical support, location-based applications are becoming more and more popular.

All of these have promoted the development of localization in the form of Web and related applications of map services, and also greatly reduced the threshold of geolocation development, making it possible to encounter map services. So is geolocation good or bad for us?

1) Geolocation referrals to your customized ads

Geolocation works on social platforms, especially in areas like Facebook and Twitter.

When you post a picture or tweet, the app may automatically pick up your location, which may then be included in your posts. This gives everyone an idea of where you are and what you are doing. When your location is revealed, it becomes a great way to advertise.

Companies collect information about you when you use geolocation and other services. This usually means they know where you are going and what you are buying. Then, the next time you apply and get an AD, it will be very similar to what you did recently. Gone are the days of getting very generic advertising.

This information can be used for many purposes, and a common example is a restaurant.

If your location is accurate enough, they can send unique ads directly to you based on the information you distribute. Foursquare, Yelp and other similar apps will post where you want to eat and what you like about those places.

2) Geolocation lets you avoid congestion

Remember when you woke up late and wanted to take a shortcut to work, praying that there wasn’t anything blocking your commute?

Well, those days are mostly gone. Because geolocation tells you exactly where you are and provides information about what’s on your path as well as different places nearby. Geolocation helps you detect traffic jams before they happen and provides you with alternative routes instead of traffic jams.

Some common travel apps and map query software also generally provide location positioning and other functions.

3) Geolocation may be a threat to privacy

Location-based services are convenient for giving you what you want, but they can be uncomfortable when it comes to knowing your mind too much. So geolocation is great, but it comes at a price, and that price is your privacy.

With geolocation enabled, malicious users may know exactly where you are. Some users are worried that it could be used for kidnapping. Kidnappers could use the information to target themselves and their children.

In addition, some people worry that if the location indicates that someone is not at home, their home may become a target of crime, such as burglary.

In addition to theft and kidnapping, geolocation gives away too many of our secrets, such as where we move and where we are online. It must also be said that there are times when geolocation gets in the way of our online activities, such as browsing across borders.

All in all, geolocation can be very valuable and useful, but the benefits and risks should be weighed before using it.

How do I manage Geolocation?

Disable geolocation

If you think twice and decide to reduce its use, you can choose to disable geolocation.

First, you can refuse a site when it asks for your location. Generally speaking, when a website wants to use your location, it has to ask you about it according to the privacy agreement. Of course, some cartridges can be hidden and you need to look carefully at the interface to find them.

The second way to disable geolocation is to clean up your cache and cookies. Cookies and caches contain the geographic location where you were last connected to the network. When you connect to the network again, the network extracts the location. If you spend a lot of time on the Internet in one place, such as your home, it’s important to clean up these traces on a regular basis.

Set your geolocation

You can also manage geolocation in the browser. The most popular browsers are Google Chrome and Firefox.

• Chrome
• Firefox
• Other browsers (such as Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Safari)

Fake your geolocation

If anything can change the way your geolocation works, it starts with IP addresses.

Now that we know you can get your geolocation from your IP address, all we need to do is change your IP address.

IP addresses are changed through proxies and VPNs. But either way, the principles are similar. When you go through a “man in the middle”, the site cannot obtain your real IP address.

In fact, ClonBrowser is also a good choice for you. ClonBrowser is an extremely secure browser. It not only integrates with many popular agents but also keeps your private information safe at all times.

Your caches and cookies are quarantined, your fingerprints are protected, and no website can access them.

Not only that, it lets you create countless profiles! It’s definitely an excellent browser! Come for a free trial!

Internet users using mobile phones and computers may have noticed a strange phenomenon when checking messages. Although you’ve never granted a site or app access to your location, your computer and phone can always target you with ads or weather reports based on where you are right now.

For example, when you go from point A to point B, the network sends you ads from point B; When you return from point B to point A, the AD you see changes back to its original form.

When you use Google, do you notice your location at the bottom of the search page?

Many people believe that geolocation information belongs to personal sensitive information and has privacy property. Some websites and software obtain the aforementioned information without permission and push advertisements according to the obtained information, which infringes on their privacy and personal information. In this article, you will learn how to change your Geolocation in Chrome.

What is geolocation?

Geolocation is a set of development APIs proposed in HTML5 that combine current location methods to obtain the location of the user’s browser on the device. Geolocation is more accurate for devices that have GPS, such as iPhones.

• What is an API?

In terms of the ownership of an API, the interface of an API is sort of a counter thing where the interaction is done. We all know that in a bank, the front desk and the back desk can interact at the counter and neither side can cross the line. It greatly saves the burden of developers and improves efficiency.

The process of acquiring geolocation

1. The user opens the Web application whose location needs to be obtained.
2. The application requests the location to the browser, and the browser pops up a query window asking whether the user shares the location.
3. If the user permits, the browser queries related information from the device.
4. The browser sends the relevant information to a trusted location server, which returns the specific geographic location.

What is the difference between geolocation and geocoding?

Many users are not aware of the difference between geolocation and geocoding and regard them as the same thing, or even misused. And this is actually quite understandable because these are all terms for space.

In fact, Geocoding is a coding method based on spatial location technology. It provides a way to convert geographic location information described as addresses into geographic coordinates that can be used in GIS (Geographic Information System).

Geocoding is a computational process that translates specific physical addresses into numeric coordinates.

How does geolocation get your information?

1) Cookie

Cookies not only reveal what you like, they may also reveal where you are.

If it detects that the device is not connected to the Internet, sometimes the browser will retrieve location information from the cache, but the location information from the cache is the location information obtained when the device was last connected to the Internet.

2) IP address

If WIFI is not enabled on your phone, desktop, or tablet, the Geolocation API will try to find your location using your public IP or tower ID or GPS. Public IP databases usually return a presence point or POP of your network provider.

In addition, some network providers provide rotating IP addresses. So try using one IP address over a period of time and you’ll get different results. So public IP is only good for locating you in a city, or in a region of the city, or in a country.

3) Phone tower IDS

With tower IDS, it depends on which phone you use and the provider. Some smartphones will only return to the phone tower where the phone is currently located, so this can be inaccurate.

Which location service is used by the browser?

Not all Geolocation services are the same and do not necessarily use the same algorithm or even a database. Because of this, location information obtained through the browser may vary depending on the location service used.

Here is a list of some of the location services used by browsers. Although I didn’t test it, in my experience, different browsers, different devices including smartphones, pads, and even the same location return different location information. Some location-based services are more accurate in some cities, and some location-based services are more accurate in others.

Firefox uses Google Location Services on Windows.

Firefox on Linux uses GPSD.

IE9+ uses Microsoft Location Service.

Safari browser on IOS uses Apple Location Services for iPhone OS3.2 +.

Opera uses Google Location Services. Opera on Android uses GPS.

Which location services does Chrome use?

Chrome uses Google Location Services.

Before accessing location information, the browser will ask the user whether to share their location information. Take Chrome for example, because Chrome uses Google Location service if you allow Chrome to share your location with websites, Chrome sends local network information to Google Location services to estimate where you are. The browser then shares your location with websites that request it.

How do I change geolocation in Chrome?

Manually change your location

Right-click on the Google page and select check. In the DevTools window that pops up, click 3 Dots in the upper right corner. Selecting more tools will open a new TAB area for sensors at the bottom of the Chrome DevTools window. Here, you will overwrite the current location with the location of your choice.

Select an appropriate location from the drop-down menu next to the geolocation label. Once you select a location, the corresponding latitude and longitude values for the selected location are automatically filled in. Alternatively, you can set up custom geolocation by providing your own coordinates.

One way to fake the location is to turn off the GPS feature on your smartphone or tablet, so Chrome can’t access the information. To turn off location sharing in Google Chrome and permanently block this popup, follow these steps:

Click the menu icon on the right of the toolbar. It’s a row of three vertical points. Click Settings, scroll down to Privacy and Security, and then click Site Settings. Find the location. Turn the “Ask before Access” button on. If you want to prohibit a specific site from accessing your location, click on the trash can icon next to the site.

Fake your location

If you want to disguise your location in a convenient way, you may need to resort to external means. Using a proxy or VPN can help.

A Proxy is a network middleman. It stands between you and the destination site, accepts your access requests, sends them to the site on your behalf, and collects information to return to you. While you’re online, you’re never exposed to the Internet, and no one knows where you are.

And generally speaking, the proxy has the function of letting you choose an IP address, you can change your geographical location at will.

Vpn and proxy work in a similar way. When you use a VPN to access the Internet, the VPN is also between you and the network. The VPN gateway encrypts data packets and translates the destination addresses of data packets to achieve remote access. Therefore, compared with proxy, VPN can make information transfer more secure.

A safer alternative to changing your location in Chrome is to use ClonBrowser.

ClonBrowser is a browser that can protect your security. First, it allows you to create an infinite number of configuration files that you can hide in. Your cookies, caches, and other data are completely isolated and managed independently, and your browser fingerprint is protected so that when outsiders want to access your information, ClonBrowser provides them with information that is irrelevant to you.

At the same time, ClonBrowser also has a very powerful agent integration, which works with many popular agents today, such as 911. Here you can completely change your geographical location! Start your free trial now!

Why should you care about browser location settings

You’ve probably heard that when you surf the Internet, a lot of information about yourself is revealed. But do you know what kind of data is actually collected by someone?

In fact, the browser collects the following information (not limited to this):

1) Data about your hardware and software

2) Network connection. This information includes the IP address and browser speed.

3) Browse history

4) Mouse movement and clicks on websites. The way you move your mouse represents your operating habits.

5) Which fonts are installed on the computer and the language used on the operating system.

6) Your location.

When you’re not using a browser, your data is constantly being uploaded, including your location. Perhaps you do not care about the Internet access to their computer information, but no one is willing to expose their whereabouts at any time, and some of them are as accurate as tens of meters, causing fear.

The development and popularization of the mobile Internet have greatly changed our life patterns. However, it is a double-edged sword. While bringing us great convenience, it also makes our privacy protection and personal information security face a series of risks and challenges.

There is no doubt that browser geolocation technology wasn’t created to invade your privacy. They were created to enable us to live a better life. For example, when you search for a product, the browser will provide you with the nearest store so that you can use it quickly. For example, the browser location can connect to the weather function to alert you to recent weather changes. These convenience features make it impossible to reject a location-based browser.

The Internet has done unrivaled good for bringing people and nations closer together, making the virtual world feel almost like reality. But, sadly, some people take advantage of this physical distance to steal. Spammers, phishers, cyber thieves, and so on take advantage of the fact that it is difficult to monitor online activity or events. Your movements are observed on the Internet, and your personal identity begins to form. When precise geolocation is used illegally, personal and property security issues such as illegal detention and fraud can also start to jeopardize your life.

This article will teach you how to set up your browser location settings and give you control over your location.

Different browsers location settings 

There are many browsers available to users in the market today. Among them, IE, Chrome, and Firefox dominate most markets, while Microsoft Edge and Apple Systems’ own Safari have more and more loyal fans. So we will show you how to set up and share your geographical location with your browser.

IE

Generally speaking, when you open Internet Explorer, the browser will ask you if you want to disclose your location information. If you agree to disclose your location information, then your location information will be sent to the browser.

However, if you want to adjust your location settings and manage your location, you can use IE’s Privacy Settings to adjust how your browser monitors your behavior and determine whether and when sites can access your location information.

To do this, all you need is:

1) Double-click the IE icon on the desktop to start IE.

2) Locate the Tools button in the upper right corner of the page and click Internet Options.

3) In the privacy TAB, you are free to choose whether to select the “do not allow websites to request your physical location” option.

When you select location, the browser will confirm again that you are allowing the site to use the current location. At this point, you need to choose whether to allow tracking of a location only once or always. When you turn off the option to ask for a location, you need to clear the permissions you have granted to your site.

Google chrome

Like IE, Chrome will ask for your opinion when tracking your location. If you agree to enable location and share your location, please check chrome’s privacy policy.

If you did not select a shared location before and you now have a need for a share location, you can:

1) Click the Chrome icon in the browser toolbar to launch the browser,

2) Click “Settings”. After entering the Settings page, in the “Privacy Settings” section, click “Website Settings” (Website Settings can control what information can be used and displayed on the website).

3) In the dialog box that displays, scroll down to the “Locations” section. Select “Allow all sites to track my location” or “Ask before Tracking” to allow all sites to automatically access your location.

When you need to change (allow or delete) the Settings for a particular site, just click on the special icon (usually in the shape of a lock) to the left of the site’s URL to enter the site Settings and modify permissions.

Firefox

Firefox’s Location service is also optional. It won’t share your location without your consent, but with your consent, Firefox will locate your information and share it with sites that require location information. If you refuse to share your location, nothing will happen.

To make new settings for a location, you can:

1) Click the Firefox icon to open the browser

2) Click “Settings” to open the setting interface, select “Privacy and Security”, slide down to “Permissions” and find “Location”.

3) Click the “Settings” option on the right of “Location” to reset location permissions. Here you can allow a site to request your location, or you can prohibit new location requests.

Note that if you let your browser remember your choice of location permission, the browser will automatically follow the previous guidelines in any subsequent situations that require a choice.

Microsoft Edge

The first time you visit a site that requires location information, Microsoft Edge asks you for permission. When the location is turned on, you can also control the site’s queries you at any time.

If you want to adjust location Settings, you can:

1) Click the Microsoft Edge icon to launch the browser,

2) Tap the three dots in the upper right corner to go to “Settings”. After entering the Settings page, find the Location option in “Site Settings”.

3) After turning on the “Location” option, you will see the “Ask before tracking” option. You can turn this option on or off to adjust whether all the sites that need to be located can access your location.

Like Chrome, you can also allow or block specific sites from accessing your location. You just need to open the site with Microsoft Edge, click the lock icon (sometimes the danger icon) on the left side of the site’s URL, enter the site permissions and change the location permissions (default, allow, block).

Safari

When you visit a site using the geolocation service in Safari, you will be prompted to share your location with the relevant site. It’s worth noting that Safari has a “Remember my Decision of the day” option, and when you choose it, your decision (agree/reject) will only be valid for 24 hours, which is easier to modify than always agree or always deny.

To directly adjust location information, perform the following operations:

1) Click the Apple icon to activate the menu list and select “System Preferences”

2) Click the “Security and Privacy” TAB in the window that opens and click the “Privacy” TAB after entering. (Remember to click on the lock at the bottom of the window to enter the password to ensure changes and prevent further changes)

3) Click the “Privacy” TAB and select “Location Services” on the left. Here you’ll see the option to enable/disable location and the Safari app, which you can adjust to your liking.

The best way to set up browser location settings

Do you think your location information will no longer be exposed after looking at the various browser location settings above? No, it’s not! Some users said that even after they disabled the location permission in Safari and then go somewhere else to search for “weather” using their browser, or they will see weather search results for their real-time locations.

What happened?

It’s not that the browser is secretly tracking you after the location function is disabled, it’s that sometimes your location information is revealed along with your IP address!

To protect your real location and personal privacy, you need a real privacy browser! ClonBrowser is a great virtual browser that offers you a completely independent browsing experience with advanced virtual provisioning technology and excellent integrated agents. The proxy allows you to have a completely unrepeatable IP address to hide your IP information and make it impossible for other sites to locate your browser. ClonBrowser has optimized your browser location settings to protect your security!