[Resolved] Apparently Google search knows my location?!

[Halcyon]

Do you have friends, guests, GF, or the cat accessing your WiFi network?

Yep and I think that's the problem. I might have to tunnel their bullshit traffic through a VPN.


I've managed to resolve it this way:

1. Using a "clean" browser, go to Google and search for anything.
2. Scroll down and click "Use precise location"
3. When prompted, ALLOW Google to access your "location" (assuming you don't have a GPS module in your machine, if you do, temporarily disable it). Because Google can't find you any other way, it will match you IP with some bullshit generic location like all the other sites do.
4. Give it 5 minutes or so for the new location to stick, clear cookies and try another search (or use another machine). The location should now be reset to something other than what was previously reported by a device with GPS (see screenshot).

Of course you need to repeat the process every time you have visitors using your Wi-Fi, but at least it's somewhat a solution.

[AntiProtonBoy]

I might have to tunnel their bullshit traffic through a VPN.

Yeah do it, even if you fixed the issue. Been on VPN ever since the mandatory metadata collection nonsense was introduced in this country. It offers other benefits as well, such as being able to stream from geolocked services. I also noticed less probing traffic against my external IP, such as  port scans from russia and china. And also, it's a bit safer to, erm, do activities that involves a sabre and an eye patch.

[Halcyon]

I might have to tunnel their bullshit traffic through a VPN.

And also, it's a bit safer to, erm, do activities that involves a sabre and an eye patch.

What's that got to do with illegal boat people? Oh, wait, you mean Capt. Feathersword. ;-)