What you're saying on the Sonoma County Library website is accurate and correct. I hope other libraries follow your example, if they use AddThis.

Although it would be even better if services were used that didn't use cookies "in order to provide advertisements about goods and services". For example, in the comment on my post, Piwik is mentioned by Dan Scott. Why aren't more libraries using Piwik? Are any libraries using Piwik?

Eric



On Aug 13, 2014, at 7:00 PM, Genny Engel <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> We have had, for some time now, a section in our privacy policy explaining what services we use and giving links to opt out.
> 
> http://sonomalibrary.org/governance/library-policies/privacy-statement
> 
> 
> Genny Engel
> Sonoma County Library
> [log in to unmask]
> 707 545-0831 x1581
> www.sonomalibrary.org
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Eric Hellman
> Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2014 3:37 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Canvas Fingerprinting by AddThis
> 
> I blogged this.
> 
> http://go-to-hellman.blogspot.com/2014/08/libraries-are-giving-away-user-privacy.html
> 
> Do libraries even realize they're doing this?
> 
> Eric
> 
> On Aug 13, 2014, at 4:28 PM, Jimmy Ghaphery <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
>> Interesting thread,
>> 
>> AddThis is certainly everywhere (5 percent of the top 100,000
>> websites--ProPublica), often in contrast to an organization's stated
>> privacy policies.
>> 
>> Here's three examples of use within OCLC and their products:
>> http://oclc.org/research/people/follow.html
>> ContentDM: http://www.contentdm.org/help6/custom/configure9.asp
>> WorldCat.org:
>> http://www.worldcat.org/title/jazz/oclc/25048293&referer=brief_results
>> 
>> For kicks I just did a Google Advanced search for AddThis limited to the
>> .edu domain, wow.
>> 
>> What is the alternative for libraries looking to promote their services out
>> into the polluted ocean of the internet where everyone else is swimming?
>> 
>> --Jimmy
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Wed, Aug 13, 2014 at 2:33 PM, Gary McGath <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> 
>>> On 8/13/14 1:22 PM, Eric Hellman wrote:
>>>> It seems that Code4Lib hasn't discussed this., though the news is 2
>>> weeks old. It seems that there are libraries using social share tools from
>>> AddThis", a company that has been using a technology called "Canvas
>>> Fingerprinting" to track users.
>>>> 
>>>> In other words, it looks like libraries are giving away the user-privacy
>>> store.
>>>> 
>>>> For example, AddThis is used by my public library's Polaris catalog
>>> (BCCLS).
>>>> 
>>>> I'd be interested to learn how widespread this is.
>>> 
>>> It's pretty widespread in general, but I don't know how many libraries
>>> are using it, or why.
>>> 
>>> It's a concern regardless of absolute numbers, because it targets people
>>> who are concerned about being tracked and have taken steps to make
>>> cookies less effective. (For example, I discard cookies at the end of
>>> each browser session, making long-term tracking ineffective.)
>>> 
>>> It isn't "virtually impossible to block"; mapping addthis.com on the
>>> client computer to 127.0.0.1 (using /etc/hosts on Linux and Unix
>>> machines) does a nice job of it. But anyone who uses it really is
>>> betraying the user's trust.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Gary McGath, Professional Software Developer
>>> http://www.garymcgath.com
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -- 
>> Jimmy Ghaphery
>> Head, Digital Technologies
>> VCU Libraries
>> 804-827-3551