Deactivate Location-Aware Browsing in Firefox 3.5

How-Tp Geek ^

[Gomez]

If the new Location-Aware Browsing (a.k.a. Geolocation) feature in Firefox 3.5 makes you worried about your privacy, you can turn the feature off with a simple about:config tweak.

A Quick Look at Location-Aware Browsing

For those who are curious about this new feature, here is a quick look at what happens when you encounter a website that triggers the function in Firefox.  You can also visit a website that has been set up as a Geolocation demo (link at the bottom of the article).

Note: The Location-Aware Browsing feature uses Google Location Services to determine your location with the following: your computer’s IP address, information about nearby wireless access points, and a random client identifier (that is assigned by Google and expires every 2 weeks).

When you encounter a website that asks for your location, you will see this bar pop up at the top of your browsing window.

[Gomez]

For OS X users: clicky
This one is a bit louder about this feature.

[Gomez]

ping

[a fool in paradise]

Note: The Location-Aware Browsing feature uses Google Location Services to determine your location with the following: your computer’s IP address, information about nearby wireless access points, and a random client identifier (that is assigned by Google and expires every 2 weeks).

Orwell didn't warn us about Big Google.

[lormand]

You mean I will not be able to see all those hot looking chicks that happen to be in the SAME city I live in?

[meyer]

At great risk of starting a browser war - does Internet Explorer have this feature, and if so, how is it defeated or disabled?

[Blogger]

later

[4Speed]

ping

[library user]

does Internet Explorer have this feature, and if so, how is it defeated or disabled?

You answer:

[ShadowAce]

Go to Tools --> Start Private Browsing
-or-
hit Ctrl-Shift-P

[PubliusMM]

Ping

[library user]

you = your

[JoeProBono]

[green pastures]

Re the OS X article — “You can disable this easily - just comment the pref out.”

Okay, how does one comment the pref out?

[Vinnie]

I used the instructions in the article, seems to have worked.
Firefox 3.5 on a Mac.

[green pastures]

Which article? The one at How-To-Geek (main posting) or the one in #1 at the “clicky” link referencing OSX? I was looking at the one at the clicky link.

I don’t have 3.5 yet, but updates are inevitable. I don’t know how to comment out things though.

Eventually I’ll have to do this on a PC for my sister, also.

[mojitojoe]

I don’t think my FF has it. I’ve never seen it and when I tried to do the fix nothing like that came up for me to fix. Google isn’t allowed on my computer and I check my register weekly to make sure nothing got in. If it does, I delete it.

[AFPhys]

Thanks for posting this.

[jude24]

Bearing in mind - the geolocation service doesn't provide YOUR location per se, but the location of your ISP. In my case, that's a good 10 miles away.

A whole lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

[Gomez]

What version are you using? It’s new in version 3.5.

[Gomez]

A whole lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

"information about nearby wireless access points"

Do you know what your neighbors are telling Google?

[Lancey Howard]

Is there a way to disable “geolocation” in Explorer?

[Vinnie]

It deals with Firefox, not OSX.
If you are running Firefox 3.5 on a Mac use the instructions.

Don’t know if other versions have the geo ‘feature’ but from the article I suspect no.

[BP2]

Thanks for the tip.

Another alternative is the TOR browser: https://www.torproject.org/torbrowser/

Go one step further: Run the TOR browser on a USB thumbdrive from a internet cafe...

[BP2]

Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

[paulycy]

Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

Why are you telling ME this?

No, really, why? Why? WHY!!!

[ShadowAce]

Is there a way to disable “geolocation” in Explorer?

As I do not use Explorer, I cannot help you.

I'm sorry.

[tubebender]

Ping?

[Gomez]

Sorry for the late reply, I missed this one.

To comment out a line just add a “//” without the quotes in front of the text.

// This is a comment because Gomez started the line with a “//”

[Swordmaker]

Disabling location detection in FireFox3.5 on the Mac... for those who are fearful of anyone finding out where we are... PING!

Thanks to Gomez for posting and Tubebender for the heads up.

Mac Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[mojitojoe]

Exactly. Better safe than sorry and why support in any way a POS like Google that has their nose up the Kenyan’s as*

[mojitojoe]

3.0.11 and I have no intention of using the 3.5 since they did this crap with Google.

[noblejones]

<<
Why are you telling ME this?

No, really, why? Why? WHY!!!
>>

Okay Central: we’ve got him. Position 42:30:12-112:10:14

This is an all units alert.

[this_ol_patriot]

This is nothing new.

You must give your IP address to surf the web unless you use a proxy. Anyone can tell where you are but not who you are if they know your IP address. Check the link below, just by going there they will know where you are.

http://www.geobytes.com/IpLocator.htm?Getlocation

[Gomez]

This is nothing new.

What's new is the sending information about the nearby wifi access points. Right now my laptop reports four of my neighbors are running wireless routers. Two of them with no security at all. The odds are that Google knows exactly where at least one of these routers are located (think starting points in Google Maps.) This defeats using a proxy or, in my case, a VPN.

[green pastures]

Thanks much Gomez!