Every once in a while the “everything you’ve ever posted becomes public from tomorrow” post does the rounds on Facebook.
In a panic, people copy and paste statements to their timeline, with the belief that they are somehow legally forcing Facebook to abide by their wishes to not publicly share their content.
The truth is that Facebook give you the opportunity to choose who sees your content and they already have a legal obligation to abide by the wishes that you indicate to them about who can view your content. You can easily tell them who you would like to see your content by applying the privacy & security settings provided.
Note: applying privacy and security DOES NOT protect you from people you’ve allowed to view your content sharing or re-sharing your posts without permission. Although Facebook have done their best to ensure that even if your friends hit the SHARE option, only the original audience selected by you will still be able to see the post, this doesn’t stop your friends from copying or taking a screen shot of your post and re-sharing the content on their own accounts.
Posting a demand notice to Facebook on your timeline however, DOES NOT provide you any protection what so ever! …and frankly, you just look a little naive for sharing a hoax.
So before sharing ranty-looking posts, consider their content with a level head.
Let’s break this post down:
“Don’t forget Deadline tomorrow !!!”
A very quick search on Facebook or Google reveals that this exact post has been shared around Facebook for many years now.
Here is a screen shot of the post shared on Jan 10. (5 days ago at the time of this blog being shared.) So, the deadline is clearly not “tomorrow”.
Everything you’ve ever posted becomes public from tomorrow.
No! Your posts DO NOT become public tomorrow.
Facebook clearly set out what can and can’t be done in their Terms of Service.
They CAN share your content, (see yellow highlight on screen shot below)
….but only within the limits of the privacy settings that you apply, as stated in the below section of their Terms of Service. (see pink highlight on screen shot below)
Facebook allow you to choose who sees your content by way of offering you privacy & security options. It also clearly states what they CAN do with your content in their Terms of Service.
…funnily, many of the people who have shared this false post also share a LOT of public posts about themselves. …those posts CAN be used by Facebook according to the Terms of Service that YOU agree to by using Facebook products as you have posted them PUBLICLY.
Even messages that have been deleted or the photos not allowed.
Not true. Facebook state that if you delete the content you end the agreement for them to use your content. See below screen shot. (pic 3)
You can end this licence at any time by deleting your content or account.
“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).
As dated today 12/1/2019
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 tacitly allowing the use of your photos, as well as the information contained in the profile status updates.”
Posting this on your profile does not waive the agreement that you have made by using Facebook products. The Facebook agreement is clear, accessible for you to read at any time and legally binding.
Posting your own rules on your profile doesn’t legally bind Facebook in an agreement.
You have choices about how your content is used on Facebook. If you are unsure or want to ensure that your privacy & security settings are protecting you and your family as much as possible, we run face to face workshops at our Training Facility in Milton, Brisbane.
…but our strongest advice to you is that you don’t post ANYTHING that you wouldn’t want the whole world to see. There is ALWAYS a possibility that one of your friends could share your content without your permission and it could end up publicly available on the internet.