AddToAny Share Buttons

What is the AddToAny Share Buttons plugin

AddToAny Share Buttons is the official WordPress plugin for the AddToAny social sharing service operated by AddToAny LLC in the United States. It is one of the most installed sharing plugins on WordPress with more than 600,000 active installations. The plugin adds standard, floating or custom share buttons to posts, pages and custom post types, supporting Facebook, X, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Telegram, Reddit, Pinterest, Email and many other destinations. Compared to the bare AddToAny snippet, the plugin offers WordPress specific integration: shortcode, widget, block, position controls and a no JavaScript mode.

What data and cookies the plugin loads

In default mode, the plugin enqueues page.js from static.addtoany.com on every page where buttons are rendered. The script transmits the visitor IP, User Agent and current URL to AddToAny servers and may set a uvc counter cookie. The plugin can also load the icons SVG sprite from m.addtoany.com. In the no JavaScript mode, the plugin renders direct share links and does not load any AddToAny asset, so no transfer is triggered until the user actually clicks. When a user clicks a button, the destination social network is contacted exactly the same way as if the user had pasted the URL manually.

GDPR and ePrivacy implications

In default mode, the plugin loads a third party script automatically on every public page where buttons appear. This processing triggers Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive and Article 6 of the GDPR. The IP transfer to the United States is covered by Chapter V GDPR. EU DPAs have consistently held that social sharing widgets are not strictly necessary, so prior consent is required. In no JavaScript mode the picture is different: no script loads before the user clicks, the buttons are static HTML links, and consent is generally not required to display them, although the user must still be informed.

Is consent required

Yes if you use the default JavaScript mode: block the plugin script behind your consent banner or only enqueue it after consent. In no JavaScript mode you can render the buttons by default, but the user should still be informed that clicking a button will load the corresponding social network. WordPress consent plugins such as Complianz, Cookiebot, Real Cookie Banner and CookieYes ship with built in blocking rules for AddToAny that handle this gracefully.

Data transfers to the United States

AddToAny LLC is based in the United States and processes data on US infrastructure. AddToAny is not currently listed on the EU US Data Privacy Framework, so transfers must rely on Standard Contractual Clauses or another Article 46 or 49 mechanism. The plugin documentation does not include an off the shelf data processing agreement, so site operators that want to keep using the default mode should request one from AddToAny or switch to the no JavaScript mode.

Practical compliance steps

Enable the no JavaScript mode in the plugin settings if you do not want to manage consent, or pair the default mode with your consent management platform so that page.js is only loaded after the user accepts. Add an entry to your privacy policy describing AddToAny LLC and the social networks invoked. Use Real Cookie Banner, Complianz, Cookiebot or a similar CMP with a ready made AddToAny template. Audit your front end with a tool like webbkoll or HTTP Archive to confirm that no AddToAny script fires before consent.