In the last couple of months I have noticed an increasing trend of supplying me search results that are completely unrelated to the current query and tie back to my location or previous searches. I can say this with a high degree of certainty this is without a doubt beyond the 100th instance this has happened.
My browser is configured against tracking and fingerprinting (in fact all my devices are) which would make it fairly difficult to retain any data unless they are profiling me.
It only half works, which is really weird.
I stuck a VPN server in the UK and set the DuckDuckGo location to Australia, the only two English-speaking countries I could think of that are roughly geographically opposite from each other.
Then I searched for “local news.” Page 1 was all Australia. Then at the end of page 2: BBC, BBC, Guardian, inyourarea.co.uk, BBC, Totton News, Bristol Post.
This might be accidental, but it’s still pretty unnerving.
It is not accidental, they localize searches
But when I tell them a specific region, they shouldn’t be using my IP address location, should they?