Paying For Privacy Unless You Copy Paste Status Update? It's A Hoax, Facebook Says

Another hoax is making rounds on Facebook, and if you're seeing your friends posting a privacy notice on their status updates recently, tell them that there's no truth to it.

The message reads, in part: "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)."

The post also encourages other Facebook users to copy and paste the message on their status so as not to risk their accounts. Variations of the "statement" have also been coming out, including one that mentions $5.99 as the price to pay for privacy, according to E! Online. It suggested that if users don't post the statement, they will be asked to pay up to keep their accounts private. If not, everything on their account will be made public.

The hoax is so widely circulated that Facebook deemed it necessary to issue a statement. It read: "While there may be water on Mars, don't believe everything you read on the internet today. Facebook is free and it always will be. And the thing about copying and pasting a legal notice is just a hoax. Stay safe out there Earthlings!"

According to CNN, the hoax privacy notice has been recycled for a third time already and the last round happened only last January. But the posts from users are causing "widespread fears" that the company may be misusing users' data, according to Daily Mail.

According to Snopes, this privacy status message has been going on the social media sharing site since 2009 and there have indeed been many variations.

Doubters who still think that Facebook may eventually charge a fee to use their service will have to turn to the Terms Of Service, which users have agreed to the moment they created an account on the site. Under the second item, the statement is clear: "You own all of the content and information you post on Facebook, and you can control how it is shared through your privacy and application settings."