Google.com no longer redirects to geographically local google

[waynne]

This morning I noticed that www.Google.com does not redirect me to www.Google.co.uk. This would appear to have happened in the last day or two. It would suggest a move to geographically concise search results based on the searchers location rather than the Google country version searched. I was wondering if this is the case in other parts of the world?

[tedster]

Thanks for that report. I never like the way the automatic redirect works and will be glad if this becomes a permanent change. Is anyone else seeing this?

[Lord Majestic]

Thanks God! That redirect was highly annoying.

[Insomniak]

google.com is still forwarding me to google.ca boo!

I'll just keep using this url which doesn't forward:
[google.com...]

[Simsi]

Still seems to redirect me to UK from the default IE7 toolbar search. Highly annoying - the only time I want UK is if i'm searching for a product. Anyway, I always use the "Goto Google.com" link at the footer of the page. The sooner they get rid of this "we know what you want better than you" crap the better.

[edited by: Simsi at 9:20 pm (utc) on Jan. 19, 2008]

[encyclo]

Try deleting your cookies and cache, restart the browser and try again. You'll probably find that the redirect is still in place.

I can understand some frustration over the geographical redirect from a webmaster point of view, but the local Google iteration is usually best for the mainstream user. I'm in Canada and I always search from google.ca as the localized results better reflect my needs.

[makpie]

agree with encyclo
no change here.

[makpie]

"Thanks God! That redirect was highly annoying"
No matter of your Geolocation there is always a link under the search box
Go to Google.com
so why bother, just click on go to google.com

[Asia_Expat]

I just got redirected to google.co.th

[edited by: Asia_Expat at 2:34 pm (utc) on Jan. 20, 2008]

[wheel]

Aaaaaah! I hope this isn't true since I rank #1 in local google and only 2nd page on .com :).

As noted, clear your cookies and try again.

[centime]

i'm all for the re direct thank you, tis hard enough competing with mostly UK sites

on .com, one is in a sense competing with the whole world, or perhaps mostly the US :)

All in favour of the redirect please speak loudly now :)

Hope you guys who want it gone are understanding about this :)

[alex7xl]

IE6. Clear cookies, clear cache. Still redirecting to google.com.ua :(
Because of that FF (english version) - my default browser :)

[Simsi]

Clearly mixed opinion....but at the end of the day they should allow the user to decide which version they want as default rather than just assume. Or maybe it's just that I hate someone else telling me what I want ;-)

[edited by: Simsi at 9:40 pm (utc) on Jan. 20, 2008]

[Asia_Expat]

I'm an Englishman. I speak Thai but I cannot read Thai script. The fact that it automatically redirects me to a non-English version in Thai script is something I find extremely annoying. Further, if you're in an internet cafe where the machines have blocked cookies, it is not possible to go to the English version and stay there.

Really, really annoying.

[edited by: Asia_Expat at 10:17 pm (utc) on Jan. 20, 2008]

[giggle]

I'm with Asia_Expat on this one. I too live in Thailand and over the weekend I tried to download Windows Live Mail (just for a look). No matter what link I click on I get taken to the Thai version of the download page with no link to the English version (at least Google provide you with a link). Anyway, I can read a bit and thought that I'd download the Thai version and hunt around for a language switch - can't find one at all. Stupid.