Privacy

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How does Amazon/Audible know my country with VPN and private browsing on? (aussie.zone)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Title.

Trying to buy an audiobook with my US account from Australia. Am using a VPN and a fresh log in using a private browsing window. Still getting the “not for sale in this country…”

How does Amazon/Audible still know my country?!

EDIT: Thank you everyone for your suggestions, but I feel like we’re no closer to figuring out how Amazon is detecting my physical country. If they have some new “trick” surely this is a privacy issue as well?!

EDIT 2: Important details, this is on my iPhone using both the Amazon and Audible apps, and via the web with Safari (mentioned below). Doesn’t work.

I gave up and went to my desktop and was able to complete the purchase following the same steps without issue. So 🤷‍♂️ ?!

Clearly Amazon is scraping some information from the phone to region lock the purchase. Still would love to know given VPN isn’t masking my location apparently.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

i didn’t see if anyone else asked already; was your phone connected to the internet via wifi? or cell data?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Yes it was. It needed to be connected somehow to make the purchase.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

which one though? i was wondering, if you are connected to a cell tower, if that tower still reported the region or carrier network.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Aah I see. Both. Didn’t think to disconnect from either and try separately.

I’ve already got the book now. But will remember this if I have the problem again in the future. Thanks.