What is the __stidv cookie?
__stidv is an HTTP cookie set by ShareThis, a well-known provider of social sharing widgets (share buttons, like, follow). It typically appears on any site that embeds a ShareThis script or button, whether or not the visitor actually uses the sharing feature.
It is placed automatically, in the background, as soon as the ShareThis script loads on the page, often without any direct action from the user.
What data it stores
__stidv stores an identifier associated with the visitor, used by ShareThis to recognize them on later visits to different sites that also use ShareThis widgets. The exact value format is not publicly documented by the provider, but it is generally a unique alphanumeric string.
Data collected through this cookie is sent to the .sharethis.com domain and may be combined by the provider with other browsing behavior data to build interest profiles.
What it is used for
From ShareThis's perspective, the cookie serves to recognize visitors across multiple partner websites, measure content-sharing effectiveness, and deliver targeted advertising or audience analytics.
From the website owner's perspective, the cookie provides no direct functional benefit to the visitor — it supports ShareThis's business model (advertising and analytics), not the actual operation of the share buttons.
Does it require consent?
__stidv is classified as a marketing cookie (advertising/tracking), since it is used for cross-site identification and possibly profiling. Under the GDPR and Romania's Law 506/2004 (transposing the ePrivacy Directive), this type of cookie requires the visitor's prior, explicit consent before the script is loaded.
- The site owner must disclose this cookie in the cookie policy, including its purpose, duration, and provider.
- The ShareThis script should not load automatically on page access — only after consent for the marketing category is obtained.
- Refusing or withdrawing consent must be as easy as granting it.
How to block or delete __stidv
A visitor can manually delete or block __stidv from browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari) under per-site cookie management, or use tracker-blocking browser extensions.
For site owners, the recommended approach is a CMP that automatically prevents ShareThis scripts from loading until the visitor consents to the marketing category — for example, CookieFix blocks the script at the source and only allows it after explicit consent, reducing compliance risk.
Frequently asked questions
It is not a security risk, but it is used for tracking and targeted advertising, which is why it is classified as marketing and requires consent.
No. It is not essential for the website or the sharing buttons to function; its purpose is advertising/analytics, so it falls under the marketing category.
The typical duration is about one year from when it is set, but it can be renewed with each new visit to a site using ShareThis.
The ShareThis share buttons may continue to display normally, but ShareThis will no longer be able to recognize the visitor across partner sites or build a behavioral profile.