How does Facebook extract location data off a PC?

H

htnakirs

Disciple
I rate myself as an advanced user, so this is a bit baffling but even more a disturbing incident.

I don't frequent FB, have not logged in from this PC.
So I was a bit shocked, when I ended up on that site following a search link on Google, to see that the links on the site were in Malayalam. ( I am using a local broadband provider in Kerala).

I have cleaned cookies, deleted private data, disabled all sources of accessing geo location - both from browser and Windows 7. And still after restart of system and browser, I am getting Malayalam text.

I have previously visited FB on other systems, using the same browser (Opera 11.64) and OS (Win 7), but have not faced this situation. Changing browsers doesn't make this go away. This is creepy.

Which leads me to believe that the system a Dell 14R N4110 itself is to blame. Also this is running an activated and original Win 7 64 bit Home Basic version, something I am using for the first time.

After hearing about Lenovo's Superfish, this data pilferage doesn't seem too farfetched.

Can anyone shed some light on this scenario? Googling doesn't offer much info on this issue.
Who is providing this data to FB?
 
In google search settings goto languages and set your preferred language.

For fb location, you need to turn location sharing/tracking off.

These items might get changed from your cellphone as well when you access these sites from your phone. So make similar changes there as well.
 
It probably is only IP. Can as any one confirm: Mount a VPN, and check-in, and see which places are shown for checking in.....!

??
 
Basically your location is derived from two particular addresses: I.P. Address & M.A.C. Address.
These two things basically are unique in terms of a PC. You can easily alter your I.P. address using different software and can go for different location. But this don't work in mobiles kk.
o/w if you want to delete all your internet traces you can simply change your MAC and can do a trace free surfing.
 
Its illegal of course but you can alter that but its not going to help in changing your location at all.
Its just the IP add. and fb and google cookies and settings.
 
Even in absence of all other means of tracking location, IP itself can be used to determine location although its not a completely reliable means. Many services can use that information to give your targeted content. For instance, even if you open youtube on a clean PC and don't log in, the default ad's during the videos and even the default recommended videos will have some relation to your location. For instance in Hyderabad, when viewing videos in youtube I get many Telugu ad's that usually get aired on TV. This is also how regional locking and restrictions are also applied for on line content. For instance on steam you will see that games like Fallout 3 are not available for purchase if you open the site in India even without such information present in user profile.


In US, where we have Govt regulations to track users, IP alone is not deemed sufficient to give location reliably, we are asked to track location by at least two different methods. Other approaches includes GPS, Cellular triangulation and WiFi based triangulation which ever is available. I am not sure how many are aware of this, but some of you might be shocked to know that if you have your WiFi radio turned on on your phone, tablet, laptop and you are are in a place with public hotspots, with a piece of tracking software on your device, your location can be tracked even if you are not connected to any WiFi network.
 
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I must say that I had completely overlooked the IP aspect.
But, if that is the case, I should be seeing Malayalam when accessing the site by any device -which is not the case.

I shall post some screen shots to clarify the situation.

This is on an old Acer
AcerFB.jpg

this is on the Dell
DellFB.jpg[DOUBLEPOST=1425371788][/DOUBLEPOST]This is on my Xolo Q700 through Boat browser.
screenshot20150303140342.png[DOUBLEPOST=1425371848][/DOUBLEPOST]It seems Dell or Windows Home Basic is too generous with personal data.[DOUBLEPOST=1425371910][/DOUBLEPOST]All are sharing the same BB connection by Wi-Fi.
 
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Nikky said:
Basically your location is derived from two particular addresses: I.P. Address & M.A.C. Address.
These two things basically are unique in terms of a PC. You can easily alter your I.P. address using different software and can go for different location. But this don't work in mobiles kk.
o/w if you want to delete all your internet traces you can simply change your MAC and can do a trace free surfing.
Click to expand...
There is no such thing as 'trace free surfing'.
 
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Nikky said:
o/w if you want to delete all your internet traces you can simply change your MAC and can do a trace free surfing.
Click to expand...
what???
mac address is only till lan, once the packet crosses router, its of no use. changing the mac doesnt achieve anything.[DOUBLEPOST=1425385379][/DOUBLEPOST]
haiprazzad said:
^^ is that legal? changing MAC?:confused:
Click to expand...
yes. on linux you have to use ethtool to overwrite the firmware to do that. on virtual machines you generate them at runtime. on routers you can set a new one through the UI
 
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asingh said:
What you mean....how....?
Click to expand...
Okay. When using TOR, it is technically 100% anonymous, meaning that no-one could find out who you are. However, if the exit node is compromised and you login to a service that would give away who you are (having a facebook widget on your machine for example), then who ever has compromised that exit node could potentially read your traffic, thus finding out who you are.[DOUBLEPOST=1425390942][/DOUBLEPOST]TOR is far from perfect right now.
 
nimitbhardwaj said:
Okay. When using TOR, it is technically 100% anonymous, meaning that no-one could find out who you are. However, if the exit node is compromised and you login to a service that would give away who you are (having a facebook widget on your machine for example), then who ever has compromised that exit node could potentially read your traffic, thus finding out who you are.
Click to expand...

Forgive me for being naive. But I still do not understand how a user hopping on an exit node can be compromised. All his traffic is relayed through another machine which is part of a secluded / isolated system. Only the end-point sees the web. Internally everything is opaque.
 
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