On Monday, many Facebook users noticed their friends posting paragraph-long statements about privacy. The statement says Facebook will now require users to pay $5.99 subscription (in some countries, the subscription fee was £5.99) per month to keep their data “private.” Moreover, you can avail the same benefits by pasting the status on your profile.
Facebook is free and always will be
It’s a hoax that has been doing rounds since 2011. Last week, another hoax message claimed that Facebook would charge $2.99 monthly subscription. Facebook has warned users several times in the past against such messages. On Monday, the social networking giant said “the thing about copying and pasting a legal notice is just a hoax.”
Facebook would be in serious trouble if it opens up users’ private data for everyone to see. And the mere idea that copying and pasting a status would allow you to bypass a $5.99 monthly subscription to keep your data “private” is ridiculous. The company has said time and again that Facebook is free and it always will be.
A second Facebook hoax is also playing on your fears
Internet companies such as Facebook and Google have been accused of violating users’ privacy. So, most users have concerns about how their personal information is used by these companies. And hoaxes play on your fears. There is also a second hoax making the rounds. It claims to be a legally-binding message to protect your Facebook profile information and photos from copyright infringement.
“As of September 28th , 2015 at 10:50p.m. Eastern standard 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 and/or its contents. The content of this profile is private and confidential information. The violation of privacy can be punished by law (UCC 1-308- 1 1 308-103 and the 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 If you do not publish a statement at least once it will be tactically allowing the use of your photos, as well as the information contained in the profile status updates.”
Similar hoax messages have been circulating since 2012. It promises to exempt you from the Menlo Park-based company’s Data Use Policy, which new users agree to when signing up to use Facebook. The Data Use Policy governs how the social networking giant can use its users’ data.
