buttons-config.sharethis.com: ShareThis’s Invasive Sharing Tracker

ShareThis’s buttons-config.sharethis.com domain monitors your sharing activity on websites, gathering data whenever you use their social sharing buttons. This invasive practice compromises your privacy. Here’s what it does and how to protect yourself.

What Is buttons-config.sharethis.com?

This domain supports ShareThis’s sharing buttons, designed to track user interactions when sharing content to social platforms. It logs your behavior, feeding ShareThis’s advertising network at the expense of your personal privacy.

Data It Collects

When you use ShareThis buttons, this tracker captures:

• IP Address: Your digital identifier tied to your location.
• Browsing History: Pages visited with ShareThis buttons.
• Sharing Activity: Content shared, platform used, and timestamps.
• Device ID: Unique tag for your device.
• User ID: Account ID if logged into a connected platform.
• Cookie IDs: Persistent trackers for cross-site monitoring.
• Session Data: Time and interactions with ShareThis buttons.
• Browser Fingerprint: Plugins, fonts, and rendering data.
• Browser Type: Specifics like Chrome 122.0 or Firefox 115.0.
• Operating System: Information like Windows 11 or Android 13.

This builds a detailed profile of your sharing behavior, stripping your anonymity.

Who Gets Your Data?

ShareThis shares your information with:

• ShareThis Advertising Network: For behavioral ad targeting.
• Third-Party Adtech Company: For marketing campaigns.
• ShareThis Business Partner: Or affiliate for analytics.
• Cloud Service Provider: For data hosting.
• Government Agency: Upon legal request, though transparency details are limited.

How to Protect Yourself

Privacy Auditor recommends these defenses:

• Use Tracker Blockers: Install Privacy Auditor tools to stop tracking scripts.
• Deploy a VPN: Hide your IP with a service like Mullvad.
• Opt for Privacy Browsers: Use Firefox with tracking protection or Tor.
• Disable Cookies: Clear or block cookies regularly.
• Limit JavaScript: Use extensions like NoScript to stop tracking scripts.

Combine these for stronger protection against ShareThis’s data collection.

Sources

• ShareThis Privacy Policy: https://sharethis.com/privacy/

This is a legal disclaimer. All information is provided for educational purposes only.