A ‘privacy notice’ that’s been virally spreading on Facebook, supposedly protecting one’s personal details and data from unauthorized copying, is fake.

The notice started spreading a few days after Facebook posted its new privacy guidelines, announcing it would let users comment on proposed changes to its governing documents, but not vote.

The text of the notice starts as follows: “In response to the new Facebook guidelines I hereby declare that my copyright is attached to all of my personal details, illustrations, graphics, comics, paintings, photos and videos, etc. (as a result of the Berner Convention). For commercial use of the above my written consent is needed at all times!”

It then goes on claiming that anyone can copy this text and paste it on their Facebook wall, which supposedly forbids Facebook to “disclose, copy, distribute, disseminate, or take any other action against [the user] on the basis of this profile and/or its contents.”

Finally, the notice points out that “Facebook is now an open capital entity.” and that all its members are “recommended to publish a notice like this.”

The notice resembles a text from July which also spread virally on Facebook and, just like that notice, the new one is untrue as well.

The idea behind the “notice” is that Facebook’s listing as a publicly traded company will negatively affect its users’ privacy, which is not true. Simply put, Facebook and its users are still bound to the same terms and conditions that are accepted by users when they sign up for the service, and posting a legal “talisman” of this kind on your profile does nothing to change that.

We’ve included the full text of the notice below.

In response to the new Facebook guidelines I hereby declare that my copyright is attached to all of my personal details, illustrations, graphics, comics, paintings, photos and videos, etc. (as a result of the Berner Convention). For commercial use of the above my written consent is needed at all times!

(Anyone reading this can copy this text and paste it on their Facebook
Wall. This will place them under protection of copyright laws. By the present communiqué, I notify Facebook that it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute, disseminate, or take any other action against me on the basis of this profile and/or its contents. The aforementioned prohibited actions also apply to employees, students, agents and/or any staff under Facebook’s direction or control. The content of this profile is private and confidential information. The violation of my privacy is punished by law (UCC 1 1-308-308 1-103 and the Rome Statute).

Facebook is now an open capital entity. All members are recommended to publish a notice like this, or if you prefer, you may copy and paste this version. If you do not publish a statement at least once, you will be tacitly allowing the use of elements such as your photos as well as the information contained in your profile status updates…