Last week, news spread across the web (appearing in newsfeeds of many users) that Facebook is about to assign a fee for every user who wishes to keep their profile private. This is just a hoax!
Many variations of the hoax have been passed around stating that users have to copy and paste a specific text, rather than share it, and thereafter they will be exempt from the so-called privacy fee.
One of the many versions of this hoax include the following paragraph:
"Now it's official! It has been published in the media. Facebook has just released the entry price: $5.99 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 (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."
Facebook took note and issued clarification on Monday stating:
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!
While there may be water on Mars, don’t believe everything you read on the internet today. Facebook is free and it…
Posted by Facebook on Monday, September 28, 2015
This series of rumors took its flight back in 2009, then in 2012, January 2015 and now this. Facebook previously issued a statement in 2012 stating:
“There is a rumor circulating that Facebook is making a change related to the ownership of users’ information or the content they post to the site. This is false. Anyone who uses Facebook owns and controls the content and information they post, as stated in our terms.”
To reinforce this fact that users are in full control of the content they post, Facebook has already included a statement in its terms of service clearly stating:
"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."
So, things have been clarified and statements have been made. Any further rumors will be attended by HackRead.