this post was submitted on 22 Apr 2025
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[–] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 64 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (3 children)

Users don't need to interact with them, when a site adds the button to their page it allows that code to track you around the net. It's still generating revenue even if you never click on it.

Sites still add them because it makes them money at the expense of your privacy.

Sites still add them because it makes them money at the expense of your privacy.

You can also consider it a form of advertising for the platforms. The buttons not only suggest for the user that they should use an indicated platform, but give them an immediate way to engage with it as well. It's manipulation, all the way down.

[–] dev_null@lemmy.ml 11 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (7 children)

Yeah, but you can do the same tracking without actually displaying any buttons, so the point stands.

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[–] slazer2au@lemmy.world 192 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Tracking. The links themselves will likely have unique referrer IDs so the platform knows where a click comes from.

[–] drspod@lemmy.ml 141 points 3 days ago (6 children)

Also, they track website visitors without them even clicking the button. Just loading the "share" icon from the social media website allows them to see that you are reading that specific article, and if they recognise your IP or can fingerprint your browser then they can tie it to your social media account (advertising profile).

[–] bjorney@lemmy.ca 30 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Just loading the "share" icon from the social media website allows them to see that you are reading that specific article

The buttons aren't necessary for this though. They can do that with a tag, or a hidden 1x1 pixel

[–] bstix@feddit.dk 47 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Yes, but Facebook can't just place that script on other people's pages.

That's the point of the buttons. Website designers place that shit themselves.

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[–] Ephera@lemmy.ml 10 points 3 days ago

That's not really a thing anymore since the GDPR went into force. These days, websites integrate these buttons directly into the webpage rather than loading them dynamically. The buttons in the screenshot are custom designs, too, so they didn't get loaded from the social media companies.

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[–] Witchfire@lemmy.world 15 points 3 days ago (1 children)

On mobile, I recommend downloading a URL cleaner to scrape away that shit.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people share an article and the link is the size of the Magna Carta

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[–] fossilesque@mander.xyz 11 points 3 days ago

It's also to remind people to post them in social media, clicking them or not.

[–] And009@lemmynsfw.com 6 points 3 days ago

Tracking is the game

[–] arararagi@ani.social 65 points 3 days ago

Aren't these buttons still around just to track you even if you don't interact with them? Since most people don't logout from their social media on their personal device.

[–] markovs_gun@lemmy.world 54 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You'd be surprised how the average person interacts with the Internet .

[–] Tikiporch@lemmy.world 15 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Share button > copy link > paste unedited url to SMS

[–] ddash@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I think you wrote FAX wrong.

[–] lars@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 3 days ago

Can someone pdf it tho first? I need pdf.

[–] dumblederp@aussie.zone 4 points 3 days ago

Just Sms a photo of the link.

[–] BackgrndNoize@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Missed a step where they Google Facebook.com - click on the top sponsored link to go to Facebook - post the URL

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[–] MissingInteger@lemm.ee 43 points 3 days ago

In uBlock Origin activate the filterlist EasyList – Social Widgets to remove those.

[–] Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca 59 points 3 days ago (5 children)

I still want to know why they show up on porn sites...

Cause I'm sitting here watching backdoor sluts 9 and thinking to myself; "you know who'd really enjoy this? Grandma."

[–] jpablo68@infosec.pub 26 points 3 days ago

Backdoor Sluts 9? that movie makes Crotch Capers 3 look like Naughty Nurses 2

[–] SkaveRat@discuss.tchncs.de 21 points 3 days ago

Grandma was very clear at the last family gathering, that she sees all parts after 3 as very derivative and boring cashgrabs

[–] Ephera@lemmy.ml 13 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I also recently had a porn site ask me, if I'd like to login with a Google account. Absolutely fuck that Google login dialog on any webpage that has it, but why in the world would anyone log into a porn site with it?

[–] Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca 5 points 3 days ago

🤷 Sometimes you need a recipe for muffins, other times you need 'instructional videos' on muff diving. Google is here to help, lmao

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[–] weeeeum@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago

Gotta let her know people are stealing her content

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[–] PetteriPano@lemmy.world 35 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I love how pornhub has a share button.

[–] FeelzGoodMan420@eviltoast.org 13 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I always wonder how many people accidentally shared it to facebook or something. I know the vast majority of people keep all of their social media auto-logged and and linked to each other and shit. And they're using Chrome.

[–] mesamunefire@lemmy.world 24 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Quite a few people use them on the more modern sites like bluesky/mastodon (also rss/email etc...).

Its like less than 99% of people from what I see on my sites (Im a software developer) but its enough to make a difference.

[–] alphapuggle@programming.dev 12 points 3 days ago (1 children)

it's like less than 99% of people

NGL this doesn't really narrow it down

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[–] altphoto@lemmy.today 13 points 3 days ago

I don't. Fuck each and everyone of those spy balls.

[–] spankmonkey@lemmy.world 19 points 3 days ago (1 children)

As far as I can tell they are easy to add and everyone else is doing it, so the people who make decisions about the website don't want to feel left out. Kind of like how those sites became popular in the first place, easy and perceived popularity.

[–] LumpyPancakes@lemm.ee 5 points 3 days ago

It's just an option on many WordPress templates - asks for your social URLs but I don't know if any tracking happens natively as a result.

[–] obvs@lemmy.world 9 points 3 days ago

Well I sure as hell don't use that one.

[–] weeeeum@lemmy.world 11 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Share buttons are fucking useless IMO. You have to jump through a dozen screens to actually share them, or just copy the link and paste it where you want shared.

[–] viking@infosec.pub 12 points 3 days ago

They aren't useless at all, just not in the sense you expect. Those icons are hosted on the respective website and therefore serve as a giant tracking pixel. Better block them altogether.

[–] zipzoopaboop@lemmynsfw.com 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

YouTube is useful with the timestamp option

[–] P1nkman@lemmy.world 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Pause the video, right click video and you can copy from time stamp.

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[–] bluegreenwookie@bookwormstory.social 9 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

I don't think I've ever noticed those lol.

Who needs adblock when you're just oblivious

[–] raltoid@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Who needs adblock when you’re just oblivious

People who are oblivious as they browse are some of those who need it most. As they easily fall for "promoted content" that is literally just ads.

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[–] lemmy_outta_here@lemmy.world 9 points 3 days ago

I use the share by email button all the time because it is 2 clicks easier than copying and pasting the url.

[–] Psythik@lemm.ee 5 points 3 days ago

Those are still a thing? I adblocked them a long time ago.

[–] Biskii@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Alright, I'll admit it, I don't get it. What are the icons supposed to say?

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Laid out like that: FuckIng Cross the mail bot

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[–] 9point6@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Look at all those methods I would never use to share anything from a website.

Might just be me, but if I wanted to share something with someone it's going to be an IM

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