# Are the ads on the Dope region specific? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 30, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-ads-on-the-dope-region-specific/534377 "2010-03-30T19:58:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flano1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f14d63/32.png) [@flano1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flano1)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-ads-on-the-dope-region-specific/534377/1 "2010-03-30T19:58:22Z")
As asked: I’m in Sydney, Australia and the ads ( provided by Google ) on the main Dope page are: 1. Dell computers 2. Mastercard ( from a particular bank ) and 3. McAfee anti-virus. Between the threads I have an anti smoking quit thing and a drug warning link from the Australian Federal government. Now, I can imagine these ads are tailored to whichever country i log on from, but are they more specific? i.e. State by state? city by city? And as an aside what is the weirdest ad you have seen? ( mods feel free to move this thread if not appropriate to GQ ) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-ads-on-the-dope-region-specific/534377/2 "2010-03-30T20:20:43Z")
> [@flano1](#): > > ( mods feel free to move this thread if not appropriate to GQ ) I think this is probably more suited for ATMB than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9f8e36/32.png) [@footballisplayedwithyourfeet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/footballisplayedwithyourfeet)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-ads-on-the-dope-region-specific/534377/3 "2010-03-31T09:51:45Z")
I’m not sure how specific they are, but I get adds in dutch. I doubt you get those as well… ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-ads-on-the-dope-region-specific/534377/4 "2010-03-31T12:45:15Z")
I’m sure that the IP address is used to determine this. I’d be willing to bet money. Why am I so confident? Because when I browse from work I get ads for “Dayton mom discovers secret to white teeth” and “Columbia mom earns $[some forgotten/ignored amount] working from home!” “But you don’t live in Dayton or Columbia!” I can hear you saying. “If I remember from your posts, you live in Winnipeg!” True, and I work here too, but the world headquarters for my company is in Dayton. My office also has a sister office in Columbia, South Carolina. Both of those offices (as well as my own, sadly) are moving to Atlanta in a few months and I sometimes get Atlanta ads as well. Now, while I find the switch in ad locale somewhat jarring at times, it at least proves my theory that it’s IP based. I never see Winnipeg-branded ads (not even at home, for some reason the “local mom” ads never show up at home, making me think it’s an American thing.) This also helps when I encounter the odd website (like hulu) that doesn’t work in Canada, I don’t have to cross the border to view the content, I just wait until I’m at work! ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-ads-on-the-dope-region-specific/534377/5 "2010-03-31T21:09:08Z")
Yes, the ads you see are based on IP numbers – Google figures where you are and tailors your ad experience accordingly.