Anyone having problems with Google?

I've noticed lately that when I search for something on Google I'll get
redirected to the US version a couple of seconds after seeing the search
results I want to see.

e.g. on Google Product search I search for something and see some prices
in GBP, then suddenly it will redirect to the US version and I see prices
in dollars. I can usually go back by changing the URL.

Or if I search for an image, I get redirected to the Google home page. I
search again only to find I'm doing a web search. So I click images, see
results and then I get redirected to the US version which is OK for
images but occasionally a result I was just about to click will not be
on the US version.

I think it might be to do with the fact that I block cookies. I have
noticed strange things happening on Google because of my browser
restrictions. For example, on YouTube a change was made about 6 months
ago so that images weren't displayed unless cookies were enabled. This
effectively means I'm forced to enable cookies in order to use YouTube.

It seems like Google is forcing people to be tracked if they want to use
their services.

On Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:53:36 -0600
Deux <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I've noticed lately that when I search for something on Google I'll
> get redirected to the US version a couple of seconds after seeing the
> search results I want to see.
>
> e.g. on Google Product search I search for something and see some
> prices in GBP, then suddenly it will redirect to the US version and I
> see prices in dollars. I can usually go back by changing the URL.
>
> Or if I search for an image, I get redirected to the Google home
> page. I search again only to find I'm doing a web search. So I click
> images, see results and then I get redirected to the US version which
> is OK for images but occasionally a result I was just about to click
> will not be on the US version.
>
> I think it might be to do with the fact that I block cookies. I have
> noticed strange things happening on Google because of my browser
> restrictions. For example, on YouTube a change was made about 6
> months ago so that images weren't displayed unless cookies were
> enabled. This effectively means I'm forced to enable cookies in order
> to use YouTube.
>
> It seems like Google is forcing people to be tracked if they want to
> use their services.

Bingo!
That's why I use DuckDuckGo, but it is not as good as Google when
searching.
--
Davey.
--
Davey.

"Deux" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:L7OdnfJ-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I've noticed lately that when I search for something on Google I'll get
> redirected to the US version a couple of seconds after seeing the search
> results I want to see.
>
> e.g. on Google Product search I search for something and see some prices
> in GBP, then suddenly it will redirect to the US version and I see prices
> in dollars. I can usually go back by changing the URL.
>
> Or if I search for an image, I get redirected to the Google home page. I
> search again only to find I'm doing a web search. So I click images, see
> results and then I get redirected to the US version which is OK for
> images but occasionally a result I was just about to click will not be
> on the US version.
>
> I think it might be to do with the fact that I block cookies. I have
> noticed strange things happening on Google because of my browser
> restrictions. For example, on YouTube a change was made about 6 months
> ago so that images weren't displayed unless cookies were enabled. This
> effectively means I'm forced to enable cookies in order to use YouTube.
>
> It seems like Google is forcing people to be tracked if they want to use
> their services.


I have Google as my Home page and I have just looked at the settings from
there and there is a Link from there to put your location in.
Regards
David

Davey wrote:

> On Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:53:36 -0600
> Deux <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> I've noticed lately that when I search for something on Google I'll
>> get redirected to the US version a couple of seconds after seeing the
>> search results I want to see.
>>
>> e.g. on Google Product search I search for something and see some
>> prices in GBP, then suddenly it will redirect to the US version and I
>> see prices in dollars. I can usually go back by changing the URL.
>>
>> Or if I search for an image, I get redirected to the Google home
>> page. I search again only to find I'm doing a web search. So I click
>> images, see results and then I get redirected to the US version which
>> is OK for images but occasionally a result I was just about to click
>> will not be on the US version.
>>
>> I think it might be to do with the fact that I block cookies. I have
>> noticed strange things happening on Google because of my browser
>> restrictions. For example, on YouTube a change was made about 6
>> months ago so that images weren't displayed unless cookies were
>> enabled. This effectively means I'm forced to enable cookies in order
>> to use YouTube.
>>
>> It seems like Google is forcing people to be tracked if they want to
>> use their services.
>
> Bingo!
> That's why I use DuckDuckGo, but it is not as good as Google when
> searching.

Or use scroogle.org

On Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:20:29 +0000, David wrote:

> I have Google as my Home page and I have just looked at the settings
> from there and there is a Link from there to put your location in.
> Regards David

But for that to work I need cookies enabled; so if I need to use that
just to get results for the right country it's just more proof that
Google are forcing users to enable cookies and hence tracking.

In message <L7OdnfJ-(E-Mail Removed)>, Deux
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote

>It seems like Google is forcing people to be tracked if they want to use
>their services.

I'm seeing the same thing and now am using Google less for searching.
--
Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

Deux <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> I think it might be to do with the fact that I block cookies. I have
> noticed strange things happening on Google because of my browser
> restrictions. For example, on YouTube a change was made about 6 months
> ago so that images weren't displayed unless cookies were enabled. This
> effectively means I'm forced to enable cookies in order to use YouTube.

> It seems like Google is forcing people to be tracked if they want to use
> their services.

I don't see the logic, here. I can understand you not wanting to have
long-term tracking for Google's family of websites (or any, really). But
is there any reason why you can't just set your browser to discard all
cookies at the end of your session? You get cookies to help websites
work, but at the end of the day (or whenever), they're all thrown away
so there's no medium/long term tracking available. Unless you log in to
Google websites on a general and regular basis, of course.

Chris

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
Chris Davies <chris-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>I can understand you not wanting to have long-term tracking for
>Google's family of websites (or any, really). But is there any reason
>why you can't just set your browser to discard all cookies at the end
>of your session?

Allowing sites to track you over one session could provide enough data
to identify you (based on common searches, pattern of sites visited,
etc), then link your current session to your previous sessions.

I suspect Google don't do this. However, it also wouldn't surprise me
if they did.

OTOH, they could also do this by IP address or other methods (e.g.
browser request signature (user-agent, etc.)), so disabling cookies
entirely might not make much difference.

--
-- river. | Free Usenet: http://news.rt.uk.eu.org/
Non-Reciprocal Laws of Expectations: | PGP: 2B9CE6F2
Negative expectations yield negative results.
Positive expectations yield negative results.

On Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:06:02 +0000 (UTC), River Tarnell
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Allowing sites to track you over one session could provide enough data
>to identify you (based on common searches, pattern of sites visited,
>etc), then link your current session to your previous sessions.

Why should anyone care?

Steve

--
Neural network software applications, help and support.

Neural Network Software. www.npsl1.com
EasyNN-plus. Neural Networks plus. www.easynn.com
SwingNN. Forecast with Neural Networks. www.swingnn.com
JustNN. Just Neural Networks. www.justnn.com

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
Stephen Wolstenholme <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>On Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:06:02 +0000 (UTC), River Tarnell
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>Allowing sites to track you over one session could provide enough data
>>to identify you (based on common searches, pattern of sites visited,
>>etc), then link your current session to your previous sessions.

>Why should anyone care?

I don't think anyone *should* care, it's up to each individual to decide
how much information they want to provide to web sites they visit.

However, for people who *do* care (like the OP) it's important to be
aware of methods that are available to control the amount of information
you provide, and how effective those methods are.

--
-- river. | Free Usenet: http://news.rt.uk.eu.org/
Non-Reciprocal Laws of Expectations: | PGP: 2B9CE6F2
Negative expectations yield negative results.
Positive expectations yield negative results.