Every six months or so, a lot of Facebook users that haven't done so before, copy and paste legalise onto their wall, thinking that it will protect their content from use by Facebook in advertising and marketing – unfortunately for those involved, it doesn't make any difference.

The legal sounding notice purports to require Facebook to contact the poster in writing, in order to request the use of that person's content and information. However since signing up for a social networking account requires agreeing to the terms and conditions, you'll be signing away a lot of your data in that simple process. This allows Facebook to use it for advertising and other purposes.

If you're not certain, myth debunking website Snopes has done what it does best.

However, since these posts began appearing amongst rumours that Facebook had changed its user policy, the social network released its own statement: “There is a rumour circulating that Facebook is making a change related to 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. They control how that content and information is shared. That is our policy, and it always has been.”

KitGuru: The Facebook statement doesn't lie, but by having an account in the first place, you give Zuckerberg and co. a lot of leeway with your data.

Become a Patron!