Facebook keeps guessing where I am

[Davey]

Recently, Facebook has been asking me if I am in this city, or that
town, or another town, whenever I log on. And it's always wrong.
I checked Settings in Facebook, and it says that location detection is
only available via the 'app', which I don't use. In theory, if it is not
available, it should not be enabled, but this is is Facebook.

My Ubuntu 22.04 has location services disabled.

Does anybody have any idea what is happening, and how can I stop it? It
only comes up with this on the first, and only, time I log in on a day,
so it is reacting to me, and presumably not anybody else.

I will ask Facebook, but I have little faith in getting any help from
them.

[Chris Elvidge]

Post by Davey
Recently, Facebook has been asking me if I am in this city, or that
town, or another town, whenever I log on. And it's always wrong.
I checked Settings in Facebook, and it says that location detection is
only available via the 'app', which I don't use. In theory, if it is not
available, it should not be enabled, but this is is Facebook.
My Ubuntu 22.04 has location services disabled.
Does anybody have any idea what is happening, and how can I stop it? It
only comes up with this on the first, and only, time I log in on a day,
so it is reacting to me, and presumably not anybody else.
I will ask Facebook, but I have little faith in getting any help from
them.

It's using geolocation from your IP address, probably. See:
whatismyip.com or similar.

[Davey]

On Sun, 22 Dec 2024 11:37:10 +0000

Post by Chris Elvidge

Post by Davey
Recently, Facebook has been asking me if I am in this city, or that
town, or another town, whenever I log on. And it's always wrong.
I checked Settings in Facebook, and it says that location detection
is only available via the 'app', which I don't use. In theory, if
it is not available, it should not be enabled, but this is is
Facebook.
My Ubuntu 22.04 has location services disabled.
Does anybody have any idea what is happening, and how can I stop
it? It only comes up with this on the first, and only, time I log
in on a day, so it is reacting to me, and presumably not anybody
else.
I will ask Facebook, but I have little faith in getting any help
from them.

whatismyip.com or similar.

The problem with that that is that my IP Address is identified,
correctly, as that of my ISP, Zen, in Rochdale. Usually, Facebook
thinks I'm somewhere in or near Oxford or Pinner. Never Rochdale. Never
where I actually am, either.
Speedtest.net thinks I am in London, which is closer.

But thanks for the reply.

[Andy Burns]

Post by Davey
Facebook has been asking me if I am in this city, or that
town, or another town, whenever I log on. And it's always wrong.

I don't use facebook, but other services "guess" where I am, and they're
often inaccurate, I like that.

I only correct them if there's a reason for them to know my address.

[Davey]

On Sun, 22 Dec 2024 11:47:52 +0000

Post by Andy Burns

Post by Davey
Facebook has been asking me if I am in this city, or that
town, or another town, whenever I log on. And it's always wrong.

I don't use facebook, but other services "guess" where I am, and
they're often inaccurate, I like that.
I only correct them if there's a reason for them to know my address.

Indeed. I have concluded that this is not Facebook identifying some
spoofing/phishing attempt, but more likely making a bad guess at where
I am, as you say you get.

[Daniel James]

Post by Davey
Does anybody have any idea what is happening, and how can I stop it?

It sounds like Facebook is trying to get you to tell it where you are
because it can't get the information via location services because
you've turned them off.

The best way to stop it is not to Facebook (or any of Meta's other means
of monetizing the user).

[Davey]

On Sun, 22 Dec 2024 15:24:08 +0000

Post by Daniel James

Post by Davey
Does anybody have any idea what is happening, and how can I stop it?

It sounds like Facebook is trying to get you to tell it where you are
because it can't get the information via location services because
you've turned them off.
The best way to stop it is not to Facebook (or any of Meta's other
means of monetizing the user).

I use Facebook for two purposes:
1. To find old, lost contacts. It still works for that.
2. To read some news and comments from an old friend, who makes posts
most days and also send out some very good cartoons.

So my use is minimal, but I do not intend to stop using it. I have never
paid meta anything.

[Davey]

On Sun, 22 Dec 2024 16:00:05 +0000

Post by Davey
On Sun, 22 Dec 2024 15:24:08 +0000

Post by Daniel James

Post by Davey
Does anybody have any idea what is happening, and how can I stop it?

It sounds like Facebook is trying to get you to tell it where you
are because it can't get the information via location services
because you've turned them off.
The best way to stop it is not to Facebook (or any of Meta's other
means of monetizing the user).

1. To find old, lost contacts. It still works for that.
2. To read some news and comments from an old friend, who makes posts
most days and also send out some very good cartoons.
So my use is minimal, but I do not intend to stop using it. I have
never paid meta anything.

I had to Join one of Facebook's Groups to ask a question, so I did, and
asked what I wrote in the OP (above).

There were 2 'Likes', and then a moderator stopped any more comments
being added! Maybe I have stumbled on something that Facebook doesn't
want the people to know about.

Curiouser and curiouser.

[Davey]

On Sun, 22 Dec 2024 18:31:08 +0000

Post by Davey
On Sun, 22 Dec 2024 16:00:05 +0000

Post by Davey
On Sun, 22 Dec 2024 15:24:08 +0000

Post by Daniel James

Post by Davey
Does anybody have any idea what is happening, and how can I stop it?

It sounds like Facebook is trying to get you to tell it where you
are because it can't get the information via location services
because you've turned them off.
The best way to stop it is not to Facebook (or any of Meta's other
means of monetizing the user).

1. To find old, lost contacts. It still works for that.
2. To read some news and comments from an old friend, who makes
posts most days and also send out some very good cartoons.
So my use is minimal, but I do not intend to stop using it. I have
never paid meta anything.

I had to Join one of Facebook's Groups to ask a question, so I did,
and asked what I wrote in the OP (above).
There were 2 'Likes', and then a moderator stopped any more comments
being added! Maybe I have stumbled on something that Facebook doesn't
want the people to know about.
Curiouser and curiouser.

One message posted before the shutdown was from somebody who asked me to
Private Message him to get it sorted out. Sounds dangerous.

[Theo]

Post by Davey
One message posted before the shutdown was from somebody who asked me to
Private Message him to get it sorted out. Sounds dangerous.

Hello, I'm from Facebook and I can sort this out for you. I just need you
to tell me your password and...

[Davey]

On 23 Dec 2024 15:35:15 +0000 (GMT)

Post by Theo

Post by Davey
One message posted before the shutdown was from somebody who asked
me to Private Message him to get it sorted out. Sounds dangerous.

Hello, I'm from Facebook and I can sort this out for you. I just
need you to tell me your password and...

Would you like my date of birth, too? And bank A/C info?
No thanks!!