{{redirect|Clearspring|a township with this name|Clearspring Township, LaGrange County, Indiana}} {{Short description|Social bookmarking service}} {{Infobox website | name = AddThis | logo = AddThis logo.svg | url = {{URL|https://www.addthis.com}} | commercial = No (defunct as of May 31, 2023) | type = Online advertising | owner = Oracle Corporation | launch_date = October 2006<ref>{{cite web |title=AddThis announces public beta |url=http://www.addthis.com/blog/2006/09/25/add-me-unveils-addthis-button-announces-public-beta/ |access-date=2018-07-25 |archive-date=2018-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726061909/http://www.addthis.com/blog/2006/09/25/add-me-unveils-addthis-button-announces-public-beta/ |url-status=live }}</ref> }}
'''AddThis''' was a free social bookmarking service that could be integrated into a website with the use of a web widget. Once the widget was added, visitors of a website using the service could bookmark or share an item using a variety of services, such as Facebook, MySpace, Pinterest, and Twitter.<ref name=wired /> AddThis collected users' behavioural data, even if they do not share anything.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Who are these tracking companies? Meet AddThis. |last=Simmonds |first=Will |work=Abine - Online Privacy |date=2 September 2012 |url=https://www.abine.com/blog/2012/addthis/ |access-date=21 January 2022 |archive-date=21 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121135317/https://www.abine.com/blog/2012/addthis/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The site reached 1.9 billion unique visitors monthly and was used by more than 15 million web publishers.<ref name="AddThisAbout">{{cite web|url=http://www.addthis.com/about|title=AddThis is the largest social infrastructure and data platform|work=Company About page|publisher=AddThis|accessdate=April 15, 2019|archive-date=April 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412034908/https://www.addthis.com/about/|url-status=live}}</ref> The service operated under companies including AddThis, Inc., AddThis, LLC, and Clearspring Technologies, Inc. until the company's acquisition by Oracle Corporation on January 5, 2016.<ref name="DCInno">{{cite web | title = DCInno | publisher = DCInno | url = http://dcinno.streetwise.co/2016/01/05/oracle-addthis-acquisition-price-is-175m-big-win-for-dc-vc | accessdate = 2016-01-06 | archive-date = 2016-01-29 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160129130351/http://dcinno.streetwise.co/2016/01/05/oracle-addthis-acquisition-price-is-175m-big-win-for-dc-vc/ | url-status = dead }}</ref> AddThis would continue to run until all services were terminated on May 31, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Get more likes, shares and follows with smart website tools |url=https://www.addthis.com/ |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=AddThis}}</ref>
== History ==
AddThis, LLC was founded in 2004 by Hooman Radfar, Austin Fath, and Dominique Vonarburg.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Reilly |first=Lara |title=Oracle is acquiring web tracking company AddThis for around $200 million |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/oracle-to-acquire-addthis-2016-1 |access-date=2022-03-03 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303093044/https://www.businessinsider.com/oracle-to-acquire-addthis-2016-1 |url-status=live }}</ref> By 2007, AddThis had served more than 100 million widgets to websites, with website growth at 100 percent per month and some two million views a day.<ref name=highbeam>{{cite web |accessdate=2010-02-07 |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-160103412.html |title=Article: AddThis.com Reaches 100 Million Widgets Served - Social Bookmarking. |publisher=PRNewsWire |date=2007-03-05 }}{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="webpronews">{{cite web |accessdate=2010-02-04 |url=http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/2006/10/11/facilitating-social-media-optimization-smo |title=Facilitating Social Media Optimization (SMO) |publisher=WebProNews |date=2006-10-11 |author=Valentine, Mike Banks |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209063326/http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/2006/10/11/facilitating-social-media-optimization-smo |archivedate=9 February 2010 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
In 2008, Clearspring Technologies, Inc. acquired AddThis, LLC, with the intent of creating a single content sharing platform for publishers under one brand: AddThis. The combined platform per Comscore was 254 million unique users.<ref name="wired" /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2008/09/29/daily24.html |title=Clearspring acquires AddThis - Washington Business Journal |publisher=Washington.bizjournals.com |date=2008-09-30 |accessdate=2010-02-15 |first=Darlene |last=Darcy |archive-date=2009-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612233553/http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2008/09/29/daily24.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Clearspring upgraded AddThis with widget-sharing capabilities from LaunchPad, then discontinued the LaunchPad offering, reaching 600 million unique users by the end of 2009.<ref>{{cite web |title = Press Release: Web Widgets meet mobile video as Clearspring and Transpera Join Forces |publisher = Clearspring.com |url = http://www.clearspring.com/about/press/learspring-and-transpera-join-forces#.T6Al9MRYuEw |accessdate = 2012-05-01 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120107020007/http://www.clearspring.com/about/press/learspring-and-transpera-join-forces#.T6Al9MRYuEw |archive-date = 2012-01-07 |url-status = dead }}</ref>
In 2010, the company launched the Clearspring Audience Platform, a service for brand marketers to deliver interest-based display advertising across the web, which topped 1 billion unique users and was used by over 8 million unique domains.<ref>{{cite web | title = Press Release: Clearspring, Largest Sharing Platform on the Web, Launches Audience Platform for Advertisers and Publishers | publisher = Clearspring.com | url = http://www.clearspring.com/about/press/clearspring-launches-audience-platform-for-advertisers-and-publishers#.T6Amq8RYuEw | accessdate = 2012-05-01 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120105140756/http://www.clearspring.com/about/press/clearspring-launches-audience-platform-for-advertisers-and-publishers#.T6Amq8RYuEw | archive-date = 2012-01-05 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Clearspring acquired data science company XGraph in 2011.<ref>{{cite web | title = Clearspring CEO McGrory on the acquisition of Xgraph | date = 4 November 2011 | publisher = AdExchanger | url = http://www.adexchanger.com/data-exchanges/clearspring-xgraph-acquisition/ | accessdate = 2012-05-01 | archive-date = 2012-04-15 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120415151334/http://www.adexchanger.com/data-exchanges/clearspring-xgraph-acquisition/ | url-status = live }}</ref> In September, the company hired a new CEO, Ramsey McGrory, formerly of RightMedia and Yahoo!, with co-founder Radfar becoming executive chairman.
On May 10, 2012, Clearspring changed its name to AddThis, its most widely used product. The company launched three sharing and analytics tools: Trending Content Box, Follow Tools, and Welcome Bar,<ref>{{cite web | title = Clearspring Rebrands as AddThis, Reaches 1.3B Users | publisher = Siliconangle | url = http://siliconangle.com/blog/2012/05/10/clearspring-rebrands-as-addthis/ | accessdate = 2012-05-10 | archive-date = 2012-05-13 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120513134047/http://siliconangle.com/blog/2012/05/10/clearspring-rebrands-as-addthis/ | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Extending the Platform with New Traffic and Engagement Tools | publisher = AddThis.com/blog | url = http://www.addthis.com/blog/2012/05/10/extending-the-platform-with-new-traffic-and-engagement-tools/#.T6vfbp9YuEw | accessdate = 2012-05-10 | archive-date = 2022-08-18 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220818172903/https://www.addthis.com/blog/2012/05/10/extending-the-platform-with-new-traffic-and-engagement-tools/#.T6vfbp9YuEw | url-status = live }}</ref> as well as supporting content sharing for Pinterest and Web Intents.<ref name="AddThis Blog">{{Cite web |url=http://www.addthis.com/blog/2012/04/27/pinterest-available-in-the-addthis-services-menu-and-some-fun-facts/#.T6KVuZ9YuEx |title=AddThis Blog: Pinterest Available in the AddThis Services Menu and Some Fun Facts |access-date=2012-05-03 |archive-date=2012-05-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503235334/http://www.addthis.com/blog/2012/04/27/pinterest-available-in-the-addthis-services-menu-and-some-fun-facts/#.T6KVuZ9YuEx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="VentureBeat">{{Cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/03/21/pinterest-uniques/ |title=Pinterest grew 52% to 17.8M unique visitors in February {{!}} VentureBeat<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2017-08-29 |archive-date=2018-07-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725033742/https://venturebeat.com/2012/03/21/pinterest-uniques/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Web Intents">{{Cite web |url=http://www.addthis.com/blog/2012/05/01/a-step-for-open-sharing-addthis-integrates-web-intents |title=AddThis blog: A Step for Open Sharing: AddThis Integrates Web Intents |access-date=2012-05-01 |archive-date=2012-05-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503235134/http://www.addthis.com/blog/2012/05/01/a-step-for-open-sharing-addthis-integrates-web-intents/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In August, the company began offering social login.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thenextweb.com/apps/2012/08/21/addthis-adds-social-sign-in-feature-suite-plug-ins/|title=Digital content tracking platform AddThis adds social sign-in feature to its suite of plug-ins|publisher=The Next Web|date=August 21, 2012|accessdate=August 22, 2012|archive-date=August 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120821144641/http://thenextweb.com/apps/2012/08/21/addthis-adds-social-sign-in-feature-suite-plug-ins/|url-status=live}}</ref> In September, CFO Richard Harris took over as CEO.<ref name="WAPO: Harris appted CEO">{{cite news|last=Overly|first=Steven|title=The Download: Data analytics firm AddThis moves its financial officer into the CEO role|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/the-download-data-analytics-firm-addthis-moves-its-financial-officer-into-the-ceo-role/2013/09/27/1e21c1d8-2602-11e3-b75d-5b7f66349852_story.html|accessdate=30 September 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=September 29, 2013|archive-date=30 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930122826/http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/the-download-data-analytics-firm-addthis-moves-its-financial-officer-into-the-ceo-role/2013/09/27/1e21c1d8-2602-11e3-b75d-5b7f66349852_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
In March 2014, the company was named number one on the Top 30 Syndicated Ad Focus Entities by comScore.<ref>{{cite web| title= comScore Media Metrix Ranks Top 50 U.S. Desktop Web Properties| url= http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Press-Releases/2014/4/comScore-Media-Metrix-R-Ranks-Top-50-US-Desktop-Web-Properties-for-March-2014| access-date= 2014-07-08| archive-date= 2014-09-06| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140906132437/https://www.comscore.com/Insights/Press-Releases/2014/4/comScore-Media-Metrix-R-Ranks-Top-50-US-Desktop-Web-Properties-for-March-2014| url-status= live}}</ref>
On January 5, 2016, AddThis was purchased by Oracle Corporation for almost $200 million. Before being acquired, AddThis had raised roughly $73 million to date.<ref name="DCInno"/>
On April 1, 2023, Oracle announced that it would terminate AddThis services as of May 31st of that year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Notice of Termination of AddThis Services |url=https://www.addthis.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230401000202/https://www.addthis.com/ |archive-date=2023-04-01 |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=AddThis}}</ref>
== Like button lawsuit == The company was the subject of a lawsuit by Rembrandt Social Media, which also sued Facebook, for the use of patents that were first implemented in Surfbook and belonging to deceased Dutch programmer Joannes Jozef Everardus van Der Meer that involve the "Like" button.<ref name="BBCLikeButtton">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21411622|title=Facebook sued over 'like' button|publisher=BBC|date=February 11, 2013|accessdate=February 11, 2013|archive-date=February 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130211151523/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21411622|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Canvas fingerprint tracking == In July 2014, ProPublica exposed AddThis for uniquely identifying and tracking users using a controversial technique called canvas fingerprinting.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.propublica.org/article/meet-the-online-tracking-device-that-is-virtually-impossible-to-block|title=Meet the Online Tracking Device That is Virtually Impossible to Block — ProPublica|date=2014-07-21|website=ProPublica|language=en-us|author=Julia Angwin|author-link=Julia Angwin|access-date=2018-10-08|archive-date=2022-08-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818172904/https://www.propublica.org/article/meet-the-online-tracking-device-that-is-virtually-impossible-to-block|url-status=live}}</ref> With a storage and user identification method that is harder to block than cookie-based tracking, AddThis was able to more pervasively identify and track users' online browsing history on websites such as WhiteHouse.gov and YouPorn.com. YouPorn removed AddThis after the ProPublica article was published, citing that they were "completely unaware that AddThis contained a tracking software that had the potential to jeopardize the privacy of our users."<ref name=":0" />
AddThis allows users to opt-out of their tracking tools via their corporate website; the opt-out process requires the user to provide name, country of residence and physical address.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://datacloudoptout.oracle.com/|title=Oracale Data OptOut|date=April 15, 2019|access-date=April 15, 2019|archive-date=April 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418013720/https://datacloudoptout.oracle.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==See also== * AddToAny * List of social bookmarking websites * ShareThis
==References== <references>
<ref name=wired>{{cite magazine |accessdate=2010-02-04 |url=https://www.wired.com/epicenter/2008/09/widget-maker-cl/ |title=Widget-maker Clearspring Buys AddThis |magazine=Wired |date=2008-09-30 |author=Keane, Meghan |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100203210624/http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2008/09/widget-maker-cl/| archivedate= 3 February 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>
</references>
== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.addthis.com/}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Addthis}} Category:Social bookmarking websites Category:American companies established in 2004 Category:American companies disestablished in 2023 Category:Internet properties established in 2004 Category:Internet properties disestablished in 2023 Category:Companies based in Vienna, Virginia Category:Defunct websites Category:Oracle acquisitions Category:2016 mergers and acquisitions