Facebook Users Now Have to Pay to Keep Posts Private-Fiction!
Summary of eRumor:
Facebook users now have to pay a $5.99 fee to keep their posts private, or they can repost a message about the new policy to keep their posts private for free.
The Truth:
Facebook users do not have to pay a fee to keep their posts private.
Posts that claim Facebook users now have to pay $5.99 to keep their posts private have swept the social media site. Users are told that if they don’t want to pay the fee, they can also keep their Facebook profiles private for free by copy and pasting the message into their timeline:
Now it’s official! It is published in the media. Facebook has just released his entry price: $5.99 to keep the subscription gold of your status of life “private.” If you past 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.
It’s not clear exactly where the rumor started, but it’s false. Facebook has said that it never communicates policy changes through wall posts like this one.
Facebook users can determine (free of charge) who sees individual posts. Posts can be shared with groups of friends, all friends or with the general public without a $5.99 subscription plan. Visit Facebook’s privacy basics to learn more.
The general idea of this rumor — that users can determine their privacy settings by posting a statement or disclaimer in the timeline — isn’t a new one.
Back in 2013, a similar rumor spread that Facebook users could post a disclaimer that would restrict Facebook from using information from their profile:
As of October 14, 2013 at 5:50pm 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 If you do not publish a statement at least once it will be tactically allowing the use of your photos, as well as the information contained in the profile status updates. DO NOT SHARE. You MUST copy….better safe than sorry!”
TruthorFiction.com also investigated that claim and found it to be false.
In October 2016, another version of this rumor went viral. In that version, a Facebook post warned that there is a “deadline tomorrow” for preventing all your Facebook posts from becoming public:
deadline tomorrow !!! everything youve ever posted becomes public from tomorrow. even messages that have been deleted or the photos not allowed. it costs nothing for a simple copy and paste, better safe than sorry. channel 13 news talked about the change in facebooks privacy policy. 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 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. copy and paste
Again, there’s no truth to this new version. Facebook hadn’t released any information about updating its user agreements when this went viral, and it appears to be nothing more than a new twist on false reports about Facebook profiles going public.