Facebook users fooled by copyright hoax

FACEBOOK users are once again falling victim to a hoax claiming that the social media site is using their photos without consent.

Facebook logo is seen on a computer screen in Berlin, Germany, 01/02/2012. Picture: Ap

FACEBOOK users are once again falling victim to a hoax claiming that the social media site is using their photos unlawfully.

A message appearing in feeds tells users to copy and paste the text if they want to protect themselves from copyright infringement.

The message, which first appeared two years ago, has been debunked several times.

As Snopes has pointed out, users’ photos are already copyright protected by law so there is no need to state that right.

Fake ... Part of the hoax message. Picture: Facebook

The website, which specialises in debunking online hoaxes, added that, in any case, a notice pasted in a status update has no legal standing since users have already agreed to Facebook’s terms and conditions when they signed up.

Snopes said the hoax message cites a law that has nothing to do with privacy or social networking.

Facebook has repeatedly denied that it owns user photos. It said that under its terms, users only grant Facebook permission to use posts according to user-set privacy settings.