Perhaps this is added by one of your extensions. To test that, you could try browsing for a bit in Firefox's Safe Mode. That's a standard diagnostic tool to deactivate extensions and some advanced features of Firefox. More info: Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode.

You can restart Firefox in Safe Mode using either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
• Help menu > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

Not all add-ons are disabled: Flash and other plugins still run

After Firefox shuts down, a small dialog should appear. Click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Reset).

Any difference?

You can review and disable individual extensions on the Add-ons page. Either:

• Ctrl+Shift+a
• "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons

In the left column, click Extensions. Then, if in doubt, disable.

Usually a link will appear above at least one disabled extension to restart Firefox. You can complete your work on the tab and click one of the links as the last step.

Does that eliminate the sharing icons?

I looked here before sending original email and there is nothing new in my add ons. I also tried what you said, starting in safe mode works but they come back after restarting.

Steve

Hi Steve, I'm not sure what you mean by "nothing new" in your add-ons. You mean you are using the same extensions you've always used and now this new thing suddenly showed up?

What extensions are you using? If the list is long you can generate a paste-able list from the following page. (Beware of the Refresh button in the upper right corner, don't click that!)

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
• (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
• type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

In the upper left corner is a "Copy text to clipboard" button you can use to capture the whole page. When you paste into a reply, scroll down and when you get to "Important Modified Preferences" you can delete from there to the end.

Ok here is a copy of my (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information. When I start in safe mode I don't get the share popup.

Thanks for your time; Steve

Give Firefox a tune up Troubleshooting Information This page contains technical information that might be useful when you're trying to solve a problem. If you are looking for answers to common questions about Firefox, check out our support website. Application Basics Name Firefox Version 36.0.1 Update History User Agent Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:36.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/36.0 Profile Folder Enabled Plugins about:plugins Build Configuration about:buildconfig Memory Use about:memory Multiprocess Windows 0/1 Crash Reports for the Last 3 Days Report ID Submitted

All Crash Reports Extensions Name Version Enabled ID Adblock Plus 2.6.8 true {d10d0bf8-f5b5-c8b4-a8b2-2b9879e08c5d} Adblock Plus Pop-up Addon 0.9.2 true [email protected] Advertising Cookie Opt-out 1.5 true [email protected] AVG Web TuneUp 4.1.0.411 true avg@toolbar NoSquint 2.1.9 true [email protected] Graphics Adapter Description NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Adapter Drivers nvd3dumx,nvwgf2umx,nvwgf2umx nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um Adapter RAM 1024 Device ID 0x0fc6 Direct2D Enabled true DirectWrite Enabled true (6.2.9200.16492) Driver Date 7-2-2014 Driver Version 9.18.13.4052 GPU #2 Active false GPU Accelerated Windows 1/1 Direct3D 11 (OMTC) Subsys ID 26503842 Vendor ID 0x10de WebGL Renderer Google Inc. -- ANGLE (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Direct3D9Ex vs_3_0 ps_3_0) windowLayerManagerRemote true AzureCanvasBackend direct2d AzureContentBackend direct2d AzureFallbackCanvasBackend cairo AzureSkiaAccelerated 0 Important Modified Preferences Name Value accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar 0 browser.cache.disk.capacity 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run false browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max false browser.cache.frecency_experiment 4 browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion 7 browser.search.useDBForOrder true browser.sessionstore.upgradeBackup.latestBuildID 20150305021524 browser.startup.homepage http://www.foxnews.com/ browser.startup.homepage_override.buildID 20150305021524 browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone 36.0.1 browser.tabs.warnOnClose false browser.zoom.siteSpecific false dom.mozApps.used true extensions.lastAppVersion 36.0.1 font.internaluseonly.changed false gfx.direct3d.last_used_feature_level_idx 0 keyword.URL https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=greentree_ff1&ei=utf-8&ilc=12&type=994519&p= media.gmp-gmpopenh264.lastUpdate 1423246710 media.gmp-gmpopenh264.version 1.3 media.gmp-manager.lastCheck 1426133417 mousewheel.withcontrolkey.action 3 network.cookie.prefsMigrated true network.http.max-connections-per-server 6 network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server 3 places.database.lastMaintenance 1426171698 places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages 104858 plugin.disable_full_page_plugin_for_types application/pdf plugin.importedState true plugin.state.npgeplugin 2 plugin.state.nppdf 2 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_bgcolor false print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_bgimages false print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_colorspace print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_command print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_downloadfonts false print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_duplex -936795872 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_edge_bottom 0 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_edge_left 0 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_edge_right 0 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_edge_top 0 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_evenpages true print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_footercenter print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_footerleft &PT print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_footerright &D print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_headercenter print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_headerleft &T print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_headerright &U print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_in_color true print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_margin_bottom 0.5 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_margin_left 0.5 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_margin_right 0.5 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_margin_top 0.5 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_oddpages true print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_orientation 1 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_page_delay 50 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_paper_data 256 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_paper_height 11.00 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_paper_name print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_paper_size_type 0 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_paper_size_unit 0 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_paper_width 8.50 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_plex_name print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_resolution 0 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_resolution_name print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_reversed false print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_scaling 1.00 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_shrink_to_fit true print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_to_file false print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_unwriteable_margin_bottom 0 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_unwriteable_margin_left 0 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_unwriteable_margin_right 0 print.printer_Brother_MFC-9320CW_Printer.print_unwriteable_margin_top 0 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_bgcolor false print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_bgimages false print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_colorspace print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_command print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_downloadfonts false print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_duplex -936795872 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_edge_bottom 0 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_edge_left 0 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_edge_right 0 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_edge_top 0 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_evenpages true print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_footercenter print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_footerleft &PT print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_footerright &D print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_headercenter print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_headerleft &T print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_headerright &U print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_in_color true print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_margin_bottom 0.5 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_margin_left 0.5 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_margin_right 0.5 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_margin_top 0.5 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_oddpages true print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_orientation 1 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_page_delay 50 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_paper_data 256 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_paper_height 11.00 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_paper_name print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_paper_size_type 0 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_paper_size_unit 0 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_paper_width 8.50 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_plex_name print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_resolution 0 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_resolution_name print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_reversed false print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_scaling 2.00 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_shrink_to_fit false print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_to_file false print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_unwriteable_margin_bottom 0 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_unwriteable_margin_left 0 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_unwriteable_margin_right 0 print.printer_Microsoft_XPS_Document_Writer.print_unwriteable_margin_top 0 top 0 privacy.cpd.downloads false privacy.cpd.formdata false privacy.cpd.history false privacy.cpd.sessions false privacy.donottrackheader.enabled true privacy.sanitize.migrateFx3Prefs true privacy.sanitize.timeSpan 0 security.mixed_content.block_active_content false storage.vacuum.last.index 1 storage.vacuum.last.places.sqlite 1424824620 user.js Preferences

Your profile folder contains a user.js file, which includes preferences that were not created by Firefox. Important Locked Preferences Name Value JavaScript Incremental GC true Accessibility Activated false Prevent Accessibility 0 Library Versions Expected minimum version Version in use NSPR 4.10.7 4.10.7 NSS 3.17.4 Basic ECC 3.17.4 Basic ECC NSSSMIME 3.17.4 Basic ECC 3.17.4 Basic ECC NSSSSL 3.17.4 Basic ECC 3.17.4 Basic ECC NSSUTIL 3.17.4 3.17.4 Experimental Features Name ID Description Active End Date Homepage

Thank you for the full details. The extensions look legit. Toward the end you can see a reference to a user.js file, which is an optional settings file possibly created by other software if you didn't create it yourself. This article describes how to investigate/remove that: How to fix preferences that won't save.

But it doesn't answer the question of what is generating the sharing buttons. There was a similar report last Fall in this thread: Eliminate facebook, twitter, etc. icons on additional Firefox tabs. The original poster found the advice useful but didn't mention what was causing the problem.

If you check the other categories of the Add-ons page (other than Get Add-ons, Extensions and Plugins), do you find anything unusual or possibly related?

I did everything in your email and it's still there. The only thing I saw when looking in the add ons was Firefox was updated on the 7th and I think that is around when it showed up but not sure.

As far as I can tell this is something added by Firefox during the last update. I can't find anything else about where it came from.

I think one other setting is worth checking:

"3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Options > Advanced > Network mini-tab > "Settings" button

The default of "Use system proxy settings" should piggyback on your Windows/IE "LAN" setting" but you also can try "No Proxy" to see whether that makes any difference.

If that isn't it, could you try this: right-click > Copy Link Location on those buttons? I'm curious whether they go to the actual sites mentioned or somewhere else. And if they go to the real sites, do they have any parameters indicating the affiliation of the buttons.

If Copy Link Location is not available or not revealing, you could share with us the snippet of code in the page that is generating these buttons. Here's how:

right-click one of the buttons > Inspect Element (Q). This should open a panel in the lower part of the tab showing the HTML source code of the page and highlighting the part you right-clicked. If you read "up" the HTML "tree" from that point, there probably is a <div> or perhaps an <iframe> which contain all 4 buttons. If you click an element in the tree, Firefox should outline or highlight it in the page.

When you get to what seems like the container of the four buttons, right-click that element in the HTML tree > Copy Outer HTML.

Then go to http://pastebin.com/ and paste into the New Paste area. Check to make sure you don't see any personal information in there like your email address. You can replace that with [email protected]. Once it's clean, you can submit that and get a URL for your paste to post back here. (No registration required.)

Hopefully that will help in diagnosing it.