Stop Google location

[brucejames]

Hello Community,

Description of the issue:
I am stumped, but all my attempts to hide my location from Google in Brave have failed. I am behind a VPN (paid NordVPN, and on occasion free ProtonVPN), and as far as I can tell I have disabled all options in the Settings that could lead to this. Since I don’t know exactly what to turn/off, I ended up trying a lot of options:

• Shields > Trackers & ads blocking > Aggressive.
• Security and Privacy > Clear browsing data > On exit > Cookies and other site data, Cached images and files, Autofill form data, Hosted app data.
• Security and Privacy > Cookies and other site data > Block third-party cookies, Clear cookies and site data when you close all windows, Send a “Do Not Track” request with your browsing traffic, Always clear cookies when windows are closed (I added google.com).
• Security and Privacy > Security > Use secure DNS > Cloudflare (1.1.1.1).

Regardless, every time I start Brave (on Linux desktop or laptop, same behavior), if I visit Google or Google Maps, it shows me my real area with great accuracy. However, when I visit IP location websites such as https://www.iplocation.net/, it does show me the location chosen through the VPN.

I tried disabling all extensions (I have a few for security, like uBlock Origin, minerBlock, Privacy Badger, HTTPS Everywhere), but the problem remains: Google knows my location after a clean restart. Even in a private tab this is the case, even though this is meant to use Tor (Extensions > Private Window with Tor is On).

I tried to use the Tor Browser to see whether this behavior was the same. It is not: Tor Browser does hide my IP on Google pages as expected.

What exactly am I missing? I am positive there is some option that I need to (un)check or something that I need to clean, can someone put me on the right track? Really appreciated!

Bruce

Steps to Reproduce (add as many as necessary): 1. 2. 3.

1. Set up Settings options as explained above.
2. Restart Brave.
3. Visit google maps at https://www.google.com/maps

Actual Result (gifs and screenshots are welcome!):
Google displays my location quite accurately in spite of my efforts to stop this behavior.

Expected result:
Google does not know my location.

Reproduces how often:
All the time.

Operating System and Brave Version(See the About Brave page in the main menu):
Arch Linux, Brave Version 1.34.81 Chromium: 97.0.4692.99 (Official Build) (64-bit)

[Saoiray]

@brucejames The simple answer is Brave and VPN can’t turn you into a ghost or 100% spoof your location. In terms of the web browser sending info, they protect as best as they can. The issue is a lot of times you have things like Java that communicates and can share your information.

They’ll also have basic access to things on your computer like which language you speak and which time zone you’re in, which is communicated through your Operating System. They are able to use all of these things to kind of figure out where you’re at. In addition, if you’re using things like Facebook or signed into a Google account, it will be able to link to a few things and kind of put 2+2 together.

Here’s a few things to read later if you want to check it out.

How safe is a Private window?

What is "Shields"?

To borrow from a LONG winded website, which is https://www.techradar.com/news/why-isnt-a-vpn-hiding-my-real-location

Websites and apps have several options available to try and find your location, but one of the simplest is the HTML Geolocation API. It’s easy to use, often surprisingly accurate, and probably won’t be affected by your VPN.

Test this by connecting to your VPN, then running the geolocation test on the BrowserLeaks site.

Normally your browser should ask if the site can access your location. Give it permission and a map will appear, most likely with your real location, and not the VPN server.

The main problem here is that if you give an app or website permission to access your location, that may be remembered next time, and the website will always be able to see where you are.

Another option is to manage location permissions at device level, allowing you to control more apps at once.

In Android, click Settings > Locations to view recent location requests or turn off location access for everything.

In Windows 10, press Win+A and click All Settings > Privacy > Location.

You’re able to see and control which apps have permission to access your precise location. A Clear button wipes Windows’ recent location history, and you can optionally turn off the location service for all Windows apps at once. Keep in mind that this only works for system apps, like Cortana and Edge – it won’t affect Chrome, Firefox or other third-party software.

IP leaks

A website could try to identify your real location by checking for IP address leaks, or other indicators that you’re not where you say you are.

Visit Doileak.com and click Start Tests to see how this might work.

Check the WebRTC Leak and HTTP Request Leaks sections, in particular. If either of these contain your real external IP (not a local 192.168.x.x address), that could provide any website with a way to detect your real location.

The report might also list signs that suggest you’re using a proxy or VPN. These could include an unusual connection type, multiple browser types or differences between your browser and IP address time zones.

[brucejames]

@Saoiray ,

I asked for pointers to put me on the right track, and you excelled at that! I really cannot thank you enough.

What did it for me was to disable IPv6 on my network manager (networkmanager). I found about this via http://www.doileak.com/, which you pointed out to me in your reply. I had no idea that I had a leak there (for years now, I see…).

Now I have no leaks according to the website above. And, indeed, Google does not display my location.

Also, for completeness, I am not logged in into any Google account (I have none!) nor Facebook.

Thanks!