For two days now no matter what browser I use, my search results have this io domain in the url. Results are coming from the UK and other countries and have nothing to do with my search inputs. I don't know if I inadvertently did something to get this, and now I can't get into websites. I cannot find any answers on how to remove the domain. I am in the U.S. and I am very uncomfortable with this situation. Is it DNS, VPN, location? I have a S24 ultra. Please help.
I don't see anything in those URLs point to the U.K. or any other country. Usually when that happens it's because you are searching from either a location in that country, or using a VPN with an IP address in that country. That's why when I travel, if I want my search results to be U.S. based, I set my VPN to be in a U.S. locale. Since you are using "in private" mode, I assume that the search engine cannot determine your location, or you are using a VPN or both. Private mode in a browser hides your location and other identifying information so, presumably, you can't be tracked easily.
it is also possible that the .io suffix is related to the in-private mode.
