Smart Searches or Paranoia?

[percy flage]

It's happened to me at least twice in the past week. Now it's happened again.

I've just gone onto a search site, not via Google or anything like that, just a site that provides links to different services.

And the top results on every search are directing me to businesses or people within easy striking distance of my home.

My ISP is Orange and obviously my PC is communicating via my broadband on my phone line.

Are these bloody things clever enough to connect my area code to where I live and give results that are in my immediate area?

Fecking genie-arse if it is.

[mattley]

It's not your phone area code, but some ISP's have geographically locatable exit points from their network, which can be used by advertisers in the manner you describe. NTL make it particularly easy.

[mcflurry]

Your IP address gives away your location...

If you run though a proxy or anonymous server then the services change from "Mobile phone shop in London" to "Mobile phone shop in Manilla"