Facebook Warning Hoax, 'Private Policy' Post Gives False Impressions
A Facebook spokesperson revealed on Monday that a message circulating on the social media website, which encourages users to post the text and therefore place themselves "under protection of copyright laws," is nothing but a hoax.
Many have been under the impression that Mark Zuckerberg's website can own photos and other types of media uploaded by its users unless they would copy and past the text, and then post it on their own walls. The message appeared on the site's news feed for some time now as concerned users fear invasion of privacy. However, the Facebook warning hoax incorrectly stated that the social networking site had changed its privacy policy.
The message in question begins as follows: "In response to the new Facebook guidelines, I hereby declare that my copyright is attached to all of my personal details, illustrations, comics, paintings, professional photos and videos, etc. (as a result of the Berner Convention). For commercial use of the above my written consent is needed at all times!"
Facebook spokesperson Andrew Noyes said in a statement on Monday that Facebook users own the content they post on the website and any message noting otherwise is false. Noyes stated the website's real privacy policy, adding, "We have noticed some statements that suggest otherwise and we wanted to take a moment to remind you of the facts."
"When you post things like photos to Facebook, we do not own them. Under our terms (https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms), you grant Facebook permission to use, distribute, and share the things you post, subject to the terms and applicable privacy settings," Noyes said.
In ABC's coverage of the story they also noted that there is no such thing as the "Berner Convention," as mentioned in the hoax message. The closest thing to it is the Berne Convetion, an international copyright law.
