Hoax of the Week: Facebook Privacy Notice

Don't believe everything you see online, especially not on social media, which in this case, means Facebook. This week's hoax revolves around this message you may have seen posted by a friend on their own wall:  

Due to the fact that Facebook has chosen to involve software that will allow the theft of my personal information, I state: at this date of January 4, 2015, in response to the new guidelines of Facebook, pursuant to articles L.111, 112 and 113 of the code of intellectual property, I declare that my rights are attached to all my personal data drawings, paintings, photos, video, texts etc. published on my profile and my page. For commercial use of the foregoing my written consent is required at all times.

Those who read this text can do a copy/paste on their Facebook wall. This will allow them to place themselves under the protection of copyright. By this statement, I tell Facebook that it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute, broadcast, or take any other action against me on the basis of this profile and or its content. The actions mentioned above also apply to employees, students, agents and or other personnel under the direction of Facebook.

The content of my profile contains private information. The violation of my privacy is punishable by law (UCC 1-308 1-308 1-103 and the Rome Statute).

Facebook is now an open capital entity. All members are invited to publish a notice of this kind, or if they prefer, you can copy and paste this version.

If you have not published this statement at least once, you tacitly allow the use of elements such as your photos as well as the information contained in the profile update.

Allow me to ease your mind. Facebook isn't claiming copyright to the personal information, photographs, and other material that their users are posting to the social network. Now that we got that out of the way, even if they were (which they aren't), the above mentioned post would be highly ineffective in a court of law. After all, you already signed up for Facebook service and if you're anything like me, I'll bet you didn't read through all of the fine print.

According to Snopes.com, this particular rumor has been going around in some form since November of 2012. Just know, your user content is safe. Maybe this will at least open your eyes to actually reading what you sign up for in the future... ESPECIALLY ON-LINE!!!!