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Deactivate Location-Aware Browsing in Firefox 3.5
How-Tp Geek ^
Posted on 07/06/2009 1:16:37 PM PDT by 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 computers 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at howtogeek.com ...
TOPICS: Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: firefox35; spyware
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For OS X users:
clickyThis one is a bit louder about this feature.
1
posted on
07/06/2009 1:16:37 PM PDT
by
Gomez
To: ShadowAce
2
posted on
07/06/2009 1:17:24 PM PDT
by
Gomez
(killer of threads)
To: Gomez; Slings and Arrows
Note: The Location-Aware Browsing feature uses Google Location Services to determine your location with the following: your computers 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.
3
posted on
07/06/2009 1:18:31 PM PDT
by
a fool in paradise
(There is no truth in the Pravda Media.)
To: Gomez
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?
4
posted on
07/06/2009 1:18:37 PM PDT
by
lormand
(Michael Wiener - faux Conservative, money bag for California democRATs)
To: Gomez
At great risk of starting a browser war - does Internet Explorer have this feature, and if so, how is it defeated or disabled?
5
posted on
07/06/2009 1:21:31 PM PDT
by
meyer
( "The world is a beautiful place and worth fighting for. But not without Freedom.")
To: Gomez
6
posted on
07/06/2009 1:22:36 PM PDT
by
Blogger
(Sarah Palin 2012)
To: Gomez
7
posted on
07/06/2009 1:22:39 PM PDT
by
4Speed
To: meyer
does Internet Explorer have this feature, and if so, how is it defeated or disabled?You answer:
To: Gomez; rdb3; Calvinist_Dark_Lord; GodGunsandGuts; CyberCowboy777; Salo; Bobsat; JosephW; ...
Go to Tools --> Start Private Browsing
-or-
hit Ctrl-Shift-P
9
posted on
07/06/2009 1:26:36 PM PDT
by
ShadowAce
(Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
To: Gomez
10
posted on
07/06/2009 1:26:49 PM PDT
by
PubliusMM
(RKBA; a matter of fact, not opinion. 01-20-2013: Change we can look forward to.)
To: library user
To: Gomez
12
posted on
07/06/2009 1:28:21 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: Gomez
Re the OS X article — “You can disable this easily - just comment the pref out.”
Okay, how does one comment the pref out?
To: green pastures
I used the instructions in the article, seems to have worked.
Firefox 3.5 on a Mac.
14
posted on
07/06/2009 2:09:29 PM PDT
by
Vinnie
(You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Jihads You)
To: Vinnie
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.
To: Gomez
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.
16
posted on
07/06/2009 2:24:38 PM PDT
by
mojitojoe
(All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.)
To: Gomez
17
posted on
07/06/2009 2:26:57 PM PDT
by
AFPhys
((.Praying for President Bush, our troops, their families, and all my American neighbors..))
To: Gomez
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.
18
posted on
07/06/2009 2:30:28 PM PDT
by
jude24
To: mojitojoe
What version are you using? It’s new in version 3.5.
19
posted on
07/06/2009 2:31:53 PM PDT
by
Gomez
(killer of threads)
To: jude24
A whole lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
"information about nearby wireless access points"
Do you know what your neighbors are telling Google?
20
posted on
07/06/2009 2:37:34 PM PDT
by
Gomez
(killer of threads)
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