[db-wg] Geolocation data prototype in the RIPE Database

Am Montag, den 10.10.2011, 08:35 +0000 schrieb Hendrik T. Voelker:
> Good morning Alex.
> 
> On 10/10/11 07:22, Alex Band wrote:
> > [...] This causes location and language based web services to be error prone.
> 
> Well concerning the languages: Only because my IP address is currently routes 
> in for example France doesn't mean I want to be presented with content in 
> French. For selecting the content language I set the proper preferences in my 
> browser and also rely on the fact that provider of multilingual content 
> additionally provide me with a way to select from the languages they serve.
> 
> Location based services: If I intent to use a location based service I will 
> instruct my front end device to supply the correct location (-> 
> http://www.w3.org/2008/geolocation/).

100% Ack!
Geolocation by IP is IMHO a disease for privacy as well as in technical
terms (error prone).

Imagine i.e. a company with a HQ in EU and a small subsidiary in LA/US
surfing over a VPN through the central proxy. There are sites out there
right now where you cannot access the US-content then.. We had such
cases..

A better approach would be - it's most likely unrealistic and too late
though - to say the address in the RIPE-DB is only saying where the ISP
lives.
There's no need for a website to tell where the end-user comes from.


best regards

Michael Markstaller
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