By: Matt Durnan
It's that time of year again. The seemingly semi-annual, copy and paste chain letters about Facebook's privacy policy that spread across newsfeeds with a plague-like aggression have made their way back to Facebook.
If you've logged on to Facebook in the past day or two (aside from that block of time where the social network was down on Sept. 28), you've no doubt stumbled across more than one post that reads something like this:
As of (xxx date) at (xxx time) I do not give Facebook or any entities associated with Facebook permission to use my pictures, information, or posts, both past and future. By this statement I give notice to Facebook it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute or take any other action against me based on this profile is private and confidential information. The violation of privacy can be punished by law (UCC 1-308-11 308-103 and Rome statute). NOTE: Facebook is now a public entity. All members must post a note like this. If you prefer, you can copy and paste this version. If you do not publish this statement at least once it will be tactically allowing the use of your photos, as well as information contained in the profile status updates. DO NOT SHARE you MUST copy and paste this.
Before we look into and dissect this malarkey, go ahead and unfollow and remove anyone who has posted that spiel of horse feathers. You are the company you keep, just save yourself the headaches and weed these people out of your social network circle.
Ok, that may be a bit harsh and if you unfriended everyone who posted a hoax, or chain letter, or false news story on Facebook you would be down to about six friends, and that's just way too much like real life, and who wants to live in that world?
Let's go wade through this pseudo-legal jargon, shall we?
Starting out with the first line, “I do not give Facebook or any entities associated with Facebook permission to use my pictures, information, or posts, both past and future.”
You actually gave Facebook all of those permissions the minute you accepted the user license agreement when you signed up to use to site.
Facebook's terms of service (last updated Jan. 30, 2015) clearly outline in section two of their statement of rights and responsibilities, the parameters associated with sharing content and information.
“You specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (IP License). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it.”
The Coles Notes version of that is you've given Facebook permission to use anything that you've posted, and even if you've deleted that content, if it's been shared by other users, it's still out there. Sorry.
“By this statement I give notice to Facebook it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute or take any other action against me based on this profile is private and confidential information.”
Once again, false. Back to Facebook's license agreement, it's clearly stated in section two, fourth bullet point.
“When you publish content or information using the Public setting, it means that you are allowing everyone, including people off of Facebook, to access and use that information, and to associate it with you (i.e., your name and profile picture).”
Seeing a pattern here yet? Simply copy pasting a chain letter that contradicts the user agreement of the very site you're using does not give you any kind of immunity.
If you don't want content shared or used by others, don't post it in the first place, that's your solution.
This chain letter is the equivalent of leaving a $100 bill tacked to a hydro post with a nearby post-it note stating, “I do not give anyone the right to take this $100 bill, anyone who takes/spends this money can be punished by law.”
Yea, good luck with that.
Speaking of money, there has been another fictitious post circulating, stating that Facebook will now charge users a fee of $5.99 (in most cases) to use their “gold” service, which would keep your information private. But wait! There's more. If you copy and paste this message today, we'll offer you this service absolutely free! And you'll get a second free gold account, just pay shipping and handling.
Come on people.
Facebook quickly squashed that rumour, posting a message that read, “While there may be water on Mars, don't believe everything you read on the internet today. Facebook is free and it always will be. And the thing about copying and pasting a legal notice is just a hoax. Stay safe out there Earthlings!”
These are certainly not the first hoaxes to circulate on Facebook, and they will not be the last, but you can keep these types of things from spreading, or at least contribute to that cause.
When you see a post like this, click the little down arrow in the top right and click hide this post. You can then go a step further and report the post as a false news story and Facebook will be able to go to work filtering these types of hoaxes.
Bottom line, take some time to read the Facebook user agreement and if you're ever unsure about the legitimacy of a post, send a query to Mark Zuckerberg.
If you've logged on to Facebook in the past day or two (aside from that block of time where the social network was down on Sept. 28), you've no doubt stumbled across more than one post that reads something like this:
As of (xxx date) at (xxx time) I do not give Facebook or any entities associated with Facebook permission to use my pictures, information, or posts, both past and future. By this statement I give notice to Facebook it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute or take any other action against me based on this profile is private and confidential information. The violation of privacy can be punished by law (UCC 1-308-11 308-103 and Rome statute). NOTE: Facebook is now a public entity. All members must post a note like this. If you prefer, you can copy and paste this version. If you do not publish this statement at least once it will be tactically allowing the use of your photos, as well as information contained in the profile status updates. DO NOT SHARE you MUST copy and paste this.
Before we look into and dissect this malarkey, go ahead and unfollow and remove anyone who has posted that spiel of horse feathers. You are the company you keep, just save yourself the headaches and weed these people out of your social network circle.
Ok, that may be a bit harsh and if you unfriended everyone who posted a hoax, or chain letter, or false news story on Facebook you would be down to about six friends, and that's just way too much like real life, and who wants to live in that world?
Let's go wade through this pseudo-legal jargon, shall we?
Starting out with the first line, “I do not give Facebook or any entities associated with Facebook permission to use my pictures, information, or posts, both past and future.”
You actually gave Facebook all of those permissions the minute you accepted the user license agreement when you signed up to use to site.
Facebook's terms of service (last updated Jan. 30, 2015) clearly outline in section two of their statement of rights and responsibilities, the parameters associated with sharing content and information.
“You specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (IP License). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it.”
The Coles Notes version of that is you've given Facebook permission to use anything that you've posted, and even if you've deleted that content, if it's been shared by other users, it's still out there. Sorry.
“By this statement I give notice to Facebook it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute or take any other action against me based on this profile is private and confidential information.”
Once again, false. Back to Facebook's license agreement, it's clearly stated in section two, fourth bullet point.
“When you publish content or information using the Public setting, it means that you are allowing everyone, including people off of Facebook, to access and use that information, and to associate it with you (i.e., your name and profile picture).”
Seeing a pattern here yet? Simply copy pasting a chain letter that contradicts the user agreement of the very site you're using does not give you any kind of immunity.
If you don't want content shared or used by others, don't post it in the first place, that's your solution.
This chain letter is the equivalent of leaving a $100 bill tacked to a hydro post with a nearby post-it note stating, “I do not give anyone the right to take this $100 bill, anyone who takes/spends this money can be punished by law.”
Yea, good luck with that.
Speaking of money, there has been another fictitious post circulating, stating that Facebook will now charge users a fee of $5.99 (in most cases) to use their “gold” service, which would keep your information private. But wait! There's more. If you copy and paste this message today, we'll offer you this service absolutely free! And you'll get a second free gold account, just pay shipping and handling.
Come on people.
Facebook quickly squashed that rumour, posting a message that read, “While there may be water on Mars, don't believe everything you read on the internet today. Facebook is free and it always will be. And the thing about copying and pasting a legal notice is just a hoax. Stay safe out there Earthlings!”
These are certainly not the first hoaxes to circulate on Facebook, and they will not be the last, but you can keep these types of things from spreading, or at least contribute to that cause.
When you see a post like this, click the little down arrow in the top right and click hide this post. You can then go a step further and report the post as a false news story and Facebook will be able to go to work filtering these types of hoaxes.
Bottom line, take some time to read the Facebook user agreement and if you're ever unsure about the legitimacy of a post, send a query to Mark Zuckerberg.
