Your location data can reveal a lot more than you might think. It goes beyond just pinpointing where you are right now. Over time, it can map out your daily routines, the places you visit regularly, and even when your home is likely empty.
To help you see exactly what you’re giving away, NordVPN has launched My Location, a free browser-based tool that instantly shows your physical location and the virtual location visible to every website you visit.
What’s the difference between your real and virtual location?
Your real location is determined through device-based methods like GPS or your browser’s geolocation API. That’s the data apps typically request when they ask for location access. Your virtual location, on the other hand, comes from your IP address. That’s the identifier attached to your internet traffic, and websites use it by default to estimate where your connection is coming from.
These two can differ significantly, and understanding that gap matters. Websites can use your location for targeted advertising or regional price discrimination, showing you different prices based on your region. In more serious cases, a time-stamped location history can enable surveillance or stalking.
NordVPN CTO, Marijus Briedis, puts it plainly: “Once this data is exposed or shared too broadly, it can be used for profiling, targeting, and other purposes far beyond the original reason it was collected.”
How to use NordVPN’s My Location tool safely?
To use Nord’s free tool, head to My Location page and click on “Test Location Access.” Your browser will ask if you want to share your location with NordVPN. You should select “Allow this time” to grant the tool one-time access to your browser’s geolocation API. It will map out your physical location alongside your IP-based virtual one.
Privacy-wise, you’re covered because NordVPN confirms it does not log or store any location data the tool reveals. Beyond the tool itself, Briedis recommends reviewing your app permissions regularly, such as only allowing location access while actively using an app, and disabling geotagging in your camera settings.
While a VPN won’t block GPS-based tracking, it can mask your virtual location by changing the IP address websites see. For a head start on protecting your virtual footprint, you can check out some of the best free VPNs worth trying.