Facebook nixes rumors on copyright shift

Facebook is telling its users to ignore rumors spreading on the social network that they need to post a statement to protect their copyrights of their comments and other materials.

"There is a rumor circulating that Facebook is making a change related to ownership of users' information or the content they post to the site," Facebook said in a "fact check" notice on its website Monday.

"This is false. Anyone who uses Facebook owns and controls the content and information they post, as stated in our terms. They control how that content and information is shared. That is our policy, and it always has been."

The notice came after the copyright notice went viral—suggesting that a posted statement was needed to protect copyrights on Facebook. The hoax had been around in the past but resurfaced after Facebook announced changes to its privacy policies last week.

Users began repeating these posts, which stated, "In response to the new Facebook guidelines I hereby declare that my copyright is attached to all of my personal details, illustrations, comics, paintings, professional photos and videos, etc... This will place them under protection of copyright laws."

Warnings about the so-called "chain letter hoax" were issued as far back as June from the security firm Sophos and others.

And noted technology blogger Robert Scoble poured scorn Monday on those falling for the trick, saying on his Facebook page: "If you are posting about copyright on Facebook and you haven't done your research you are an idiot."

(c) 2012 AFP