controlling Google

[joboy]

... by learning what sort of things the user is searching for, the search engine can try to deliver the results you want ...

Yeah . . . I suppose that's why, when I do a search for size 12 shoes, Amazon (or it may have been ebay) suggests that I might also be interested in some size 9 . . . 

. . . and it's possibly why, after I bought a new camera, I was bombarded with emails suggesting others I might also like to purchase . . . 

... try going to google uk and doing it from there ...

I occasionally use google UK but usually get bounced over to the US site for the results. I think they're trying to be too clever . . . and failing miserably as far as I'm concerned

I am with you Mike .... google is all too pervasive .......... I am forever trying to keep it out of my PC ........ and I think that I am losing.
Joe

[Ruskie]

Yeah, I love the ads too Mike! 

I am finding myself thinking twice about searching for anything via google these days in the fear that I will be bombarded by animated ads for that product for months. I even try to 'override' my ads by searching for something I won't miond seeing over and over and over again, like puppies, but I haven't had much luck with that yet.  They need to sort themselves out for me to take any notice of their ads, that is for sure. I am avoiding some of the sites which are still trying to flog shoes to me that I searched for 8 months ago.

[Nick29]

There are companies offering 'IP cloaking' but of course they will want some money for doing it.  Typically about £50 a year.  But you can change your IP country as often as you like.

[LizzieW]

You're right Mike - they are trying to take over our world - pretty disturbing.

  Like Tesco then, who are now getting their comeuppance thankfully.