Two clicks for more privacy

We use the "two clicks for more privacy" approach to integrate the social media like-buttons.

What is the problem with the classical approach?

In the classical approach to connect a website with Facebook, Google Plus and Twitter, the social networks track all visitors. This tracking happens even for users that do not click on the buttons. Furthermore visitors are tracked even if they don't have an account in those social networks.

From a technical point of view this is possible, because the browser needs to fetch information from the social network provider in order to display the correct status of the button and the numbers next to them. This information retrieval happens as soon as the page is visited. Since the social network get a brower request, they can track it. Facebook for example even sets a cookie.

How does the "two clicks for more privacy" approach work?

In the classical approach, the browsers contacts the social networks as soon as the page is loaded. In the "two clicks for more privacy" approach, the website does not contain any social plugins initially. They are only created if and when the users clicks on the social button. Therefore the decision, whether to reveal a website visit to the social networks, is entirely in the control of the user.