Does posting a legal privacy notice protect your Facebook data? Fact Check

Posts being shared on Facebook claim users can gain some control over the data they share on Facebook – such as their photos – by copying & pasting a legal disclaimer onto their Facebook timeline.

The posts often claim that if Facebook users fail to copy a legal disclaimer onto their timeline, Facebook or Meta will be able to exploit the user’s data in some undesirable way, such as make it public.

FALSE

These rumours have been proliferating on Facebook (and other platforms) for a number of years now, and have spawned countless different permutations of the same hoax. Despite the different number of variations we’ve seen, nearly all of them make the same fundamental claims.

One, that Facebook (or Meta) will either make your information “public” or use it in undesirable ways…. and

Two, users can prevent this by copying some legal sounding notice to their profile.

Many versions of this claim include excerpts from various pieces of legislation to attempt to reinforce the authenticity of the claim. However all permutations of this hoax that we’ve seen have been entirely false.

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First we will outline the popular examples of this persistent hoax, before going into more detail further below.

The 2021 Meta version

One of the more recent variations happened in 2021 after Facebook announced a re-brand whereby its parent company will be renamed Meta. This spawned a version claiming that this re-brand was the reason why Facebook will now be able to “use your pictures”. This variation quoted UCC Act, Article 1-207 of the Uniform Commercial Code.

IMPORTANT FACEBOOK WILL BE META
Tomorrow starts the new Facebook/meta rule where they can use your pictures. Remember, the deadline is today! This could be used in the lawsuit against you. Everything you posted will be posted today – including the posts that were deleted. It costs nothing just copy and post better than regret later.
According to UCC Act, Article 1-207, 1… Setting up my reserve of rights…
I DO NOT ALLOW Facebook/Meta or any other person dealing with Facebook/Meta to use my photos, information, messages or messages past and future.
I do not give Facebook/Meta permission to share my information published on their website. PICTURES, CURRENT or LOST, POSTAGE, PHONE NUMBER, OR POSTAGE. Absolutely nothing can be used in any form without my written permission.
With this statement, I inform Facebook/Meta that it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, spread or disseminate against me to deal with this account and/or its content.
The content of this account is private and confidential. Violation of my privacy can be prosecuted by law.
HINT: Facebook/Meta is now a public organization.
All participants should post such a note.
“I do not give Facebook/Meta permission to share my information published on their website.” PICTURES, CURRENT or LOST, POSTAGE, PHONE NUMBER, OR POSTAGE. Absolutely nothing can be used in any form without my written permission. “
YOU ALL need to read this.

The 2024 Meta version

The 2024 Meta version claims “an attorney advised” for users to make the post.

Goodbye Metaverse, its been a Nightmare.
Just in case Notice: An attorney advised us to post this. The violation of privacy can be punished by law. NOTE: Facebook Meta is now a public entity. All members must post a note like this. If you do not publish a statement at least once, it will be technically understood that you are allowing the use of your photos, as well as the information contained in your profile status updates.
I HEREBY STATE THAT I DO NOT GIVE MY PERMISSION TO USE ANY OF MY PERSONAL DATA OR PHOTOS. If you are thinking of getting off FB because of the volume of sales ads and stuff. So hold your finger anywhere in this post and click ′copy’. Go to your page where it says ‘What’s on your mind?’ Tap your finger anywhere in the blank field. Click paste. This upgrades the system.
Good bye ads and
Hello new and old friends!

The 6O Minutes Version

Another version from 2024 claims the alleged change was covered by TV show 60 Minutes (misspelled as 6O Minutes). It wasn’t.

According to the show 6O Minutes:
Just in case you missed it: a lawyer advised us to post this. The violation of privacy can be punished by law NOTE: Facebook Meta is now a public entity. Every member must post a note like this. If you do not publish a statement at least once, it will be technically understood that you are allowing the use of your photos, as well as the information contained in your profile status updates.
I HEREBY DECLARE THAT I DO NOT GIVE META OR ANY OTHER PUBLIC OR PRIVATE ENTITY MY PERMISSION TO USE OR SHARE ANY OF MY PERSONAL DATA OR PHOTOS IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.
Copy, paste, do not share!

The 2022 Meta version

The 2022 Meta version is just a rehash of the 2021 version, and appends the “same few people in your newsfeed” hoax towards the end. (More on that misinformation here.)

Don’t forget tomorrow starts the new Facebook (aka…new name, META) rule where they can use your photos. Don’t forget the Deadline is today!!! I do not give Facebook or any entities associated with Facebook permission to use my pictures, information, messages or posts, both past and future. With 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 information: The violation of privacy can be punished by law 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 tacitly allowing the use of your photos, as well as the information contained in the profile status updates.
DO NOT SHARE. Copy and paste.
Their new algorithm chooses the same few people – about 25 – who will read your posts.
Therefore:
Hold your finger down anywhere in this post and “copy” will pop up. Click “copy”. Then go to your page, start a new post and put your finger anywhere in the blank field. “Paste” will pop up and click paste
This will bypass the system.

All your posts can become public tomorrow

Of the more popular variants of the hoax vaguely claimed that your Facebook posts “can become public tomorrow”. Most variants claim that this is happening because Facebook is now a “public entity”, and quote the Rome Statute and the UCC code. This version also vaguely claimed it was on Channel 13 news, as per the example below.

All your posts can become public tomorrow . 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 Better safe than sorry is right. Channel 13 News was just talking about this change in Facebook’s privacy policy. Better safe than sorry. I do not give Facebook or any entities associated with Facebook permission to use my pictures, information, messages 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. DO NOT SHARE. You must copy n paste

In 2019, this variant of the hoax also started to spread with another hoax attached to it that claimed a “new Facebook algorithm” limits your newsfeed to 25 friends and copying and pasting a message can bypass that algorithm. That’s also nonsense and we discuss it in a separate article here.

Covid-19 commotion

This version from 2020 included a reference to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also omitted references to the Rome Statute or Uniform Commercial Code (UCC.)

Friends, don’t forget that starting today, despite the commotion around Covid 19, the new rule begins on Facebook according to which your photos can be used. Remember the deadline to post your disapproval of this use or possible misuse is today!!! They could be used in lawsuits against you. Everything you posted will be made public, even messages that have been deleted, for all of the above I record by this means that:
I DON ‘ T ALLOW OR AUTHORIZE that facebook UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE uses my information, photos, or any data related to my person or the people who on my profile, pages or groups appear, asImismo messages or posts, both past and future.
With this statement, I give a notification and record of notice to facebook that it is strictly prohibited from disclosing, copying, distributing or taking another action against me based on this profile, my pages or groups and / or its content.
The content of this profile, as well as that of my pages and groups, is private and confidential information.
Violation of my personal life can be punished by law.
Don’t ” share “,
“Copy and paste”
In short I confirm again that I do NOT allow facebook to share anything of mine that I have posted on your website, current or past photos, posts, phone numbers or emails, absolutely nothing can be used in any form without my permission strictly in writing, nor my verbal content.
I DON ‘ T ALLOW

The “attorney advised me to post this”

Another version omits the reference to Channel 13, but claims “an attorney” advised to post the jargon –

Better to be safe than sorry. An attorney advised to post this. Good enough for me. 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 do not publish a statement at least once it will be tacitly understood that you are allowing the use of your photos, as well as the information contained in your profile status updates. I DO NOT GIVE MY PERMISSION. My posts are for my benefit and friends and family
If you prefer, you can copy and paste..

To reaffirm, none of the above messages, nor any of this derivatives, has any effect whatsoever on how your information can be treated on Facebook, either legally or otherwise.

This hoax first began spreading in 2012, and was particularly popular in 2013, and has since managed to spread almost every year since. It becomes increasingly popular when Facebook make significant changes to their terms of service, and it also went viral after Facebook publicly traded shares on the stock market and when it rebranded to Meta.

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How the information a user posts onto Facebook can be treated is dictated by the terms of service that most people [probably] didn’t read when they signed up to use the social network, and which occasionally changes throughout the years. Posting legal sounding words onto your timeline does not – in any way – alter or override those terms of service, regardless of how much we wish it could. You can read about how Facebook treats your information via Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities (a.k.a. Terms of Service)

There is no worldwide or national law whereby social media users can simply override a social network’s own terms of service by posting a privacy notice. While a social network’s terms of service could potentially be challenged in a court of law if deemed to be in violation of the law within a country in which the social network operates, none of that would involve copying and pasting a message on your social profile. Regardless of what legal-sounding words it includes or legislation it quotes.

Legal sounding references in many of these hoaxes include –

UCC [Uniform Commercial Code] Act, Article 1-207.

The UCC is legislation covering commercial transactions and sales in the United States. It has nothing to do with online privacy. Additionally there is no “Article 1-207” since this was dissolved in 2004.

UCC [Uniform Commercial Code] 1-103 1-308.

Again, the Uniform Commercial Code has nothing to do with online privacy. Section 1-103 relates to the construction of the UCC itself, and section 1-308 expands on the term “without prejudice” in commercial law.

The Rome Statute.

Older versions of this hoax quote the Rome Statute which is a treaty that establishes the jurisdiction and structure of the International Criminal Court, which in turn deals with crimes such as genocide and crimes against humanity. It has nothing to do with social media privacy.

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Are posts, photos, pictures and information really about to “become public”?

Nearly all permutations of this hoax attempt to panic the reader into thinking their information will be made public or can be used in an unwelcome way. However such claims are largely fictitious. The information a user posts is subject to the privacy settings the user sets in their privacy section (more information on these settings here) and this has not changed. How Facebook uses this information has not changed significantly either and is outlined in their terms of service.

Many versions of this hoax have relied on confusing users by claiming “now Facebook is public” in reference to Facebook becoming a publicly traded company on the stock exchange in 2012. However this did not mean information on Facebook would become public as well.

Any claim about posting a privacy notice on Facebook in order to protect your information is going to be a hoax. We rank all of these claims as false.