Making This Your Facebook Status Won't Give You More Privacy

September 28, 2015 10:54 PM EDT

Don’t believe the status. By copying and pasting a short post in legalese about your privacy settings on Facebook, you will not, in fact, make the photos and videos you’ve posted more private.

These statuses may have been popping up on your Newsfeed, but they’re really just part of an elaborate hoax that has plagued the social-network site for years.

One contains what seems like complicated and official legal language stating that the privacy and confidentiality of the account will be protected from that moment onwards, CBS reports.

As of September 29, 2015 at 10:50 p.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 If you do not publish a statement at least once it will be tactically allowing the use of your photos, as well as the information contained in the profile status updates.

Another of the posts says that, if users pay a monthly subscription fee, they will ensure that their videos and photos remain private, according to CBS. By pasting the text into their status, the hoax claims that users will waive the fee.

Now it’s official! It has been published in the media. Facebook has just released the entry price: £5.99 ($9.10) to keep the subscription of your status to be set to “private.” If you paste this message on your page, it will be offered free (I said paste not share) if not tomorrow, all your posts can become public. Even the messages that have been deleted or the photos not allowed. After all, it does not cost anything for a simple copy and paste.

Don’t believe a word of it. Facebook has made a point of addressing these hoaxes in the past.

For genuine information on permissions and privacy on Facebook, read its statement of Rights and Responsibilities and Facebook’s Data Policy.

[CBS]

This Is What Your Facebook Profile Looked Like Over the Last 11 Years

The Original Facebook Group Page, 2004. Before people realized how awesome pictures are.Courtesy of Facebook

Facebook Profile Page, 2005. Back when Facebook looked a little bit like MySpace. Courtesy of Facebook

Facebook Profile Page Facelift, 2005. The "the" is finally dropped.Courtesy of Facebook

Facebook Profile Page, 2006. You no longer need to be reminded "this is you" at the top of your profile page.Courtesy of Facebook

Facebook Profile Page, 2007. Every profile update still had to begin with "is," forcing you to talk about yourself in the third person. Courtesy of Facebook

Facebook Profile Page, 2008. The wall. Courtesy of Facebook

Facebook Profile Page, 2009. It only took five years for Facebook to create easy-to-find privacy settings. Courtesy of Facebook

Facebook Profile Page, 2010. Facebook starts to get pretty. Courtesy of Facebook

Facebook Profile Page, 2011. Zuckerberg realizes that people love pictures, usually of animals.Courtesy of Facebook

Facebook Profile Page, 2012. The timeline allows you (or your parents) to trace your life from birth to death.Courtesy of Facebook

Facebook Profile Page, 2013-2014. Facebook introduced a new app, Paper, on Monday.Courtesy of Facebook

Facebook Profile Page, 2014-2015. Facebook updated both the newsfeed algorithm and the privacy settings.Courtesy of Alex Fitzpatrick/Facebook

Making This Your Facebook Status Won’t Change Your Privacy Rules

This Is What Your Facebook Profile Looked Like Over the Last 11 Years

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