Facebook users may have seen a message popping up on their news feed encouraging others to copy and paste the text and post it on their own walls if they want to be placed "under protection of copyright laws." It turns out this is a Facebook warning hoax and not authorized by Facebook.
"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.," is an excerpt from the Facebook warning hoax. "For commercial use of the above, my written consent is needed at all times!"
"Facebook is now an open capital entity. All members are recommended to publish a notice like this, or, if you prefer, you may copy and paste this version. If you do not publish a statement at least once, you will be tacitly allowing the use of elements such as your photos, as well as the information contained in your profile status updates."
The New York Daily News alleges that not only is the post illegitimate, but the "Berner" Convention cited in the text is a reference to the Berne Convention, a 126-year-old international copyright policy.
The Facebook warning hoax leads unsuspecting users to believe that the Facebook can now "disclose, copy, distribute, disseminate or take any other action against [the user] on the basis of this profile and/or its contents."
Facebook cleared up this hoax by posting a statement up on its website:
"There is a rumor circulating that Facebook is making a change related to ownership of users' information or the content they post to the site. This is false. Anyone who uses Facebook owns and controls the content and information they post, as stated in our terms. They control how that content and information is shared. That is our policy, and it always has been."
