Watch out for these “Copypasta” messages on Facebook

In June 2022, a copypasta went viral on Facebook claiming, “Don’t forget, tomorrow is the start of the new Facebook rule on where they can use your photos.” We’ve traced that copypasta back to at least 2012. You cannot circumvent parent company Meta’s corporate policies by simply posting a statement on your profile. (You can read the full fact check here.)

On Facebook, posts have been spreading for years on the platform claiming that you can protect your copyright or personal rights by posting an imprint. We found claims of it happening in both 2019 and 2021. Although the claim is often circulated, it is not true. Facebook claims no copyright to the posts. Nor will such notice cancel or circumvent Facebook’s own legal policies, which you must accept when you first create your account. (You can read the full fact check here.)

In November 2021, a claim circulated on Facebook that a new “Facebook/Meta Rule” would allow the platform to use people’s images without permission. The only way to prevent this was to post a copypasta on your account. It was wrong. The platform hadn’t introduced any new rules that would change the way it consumed people’s content. (You can read the full fact check here.)

We’ve also seen claims that entire Facebook accounts were copied and pasted, not just individual posts. Since December 2012, we’ve found warnings about Facebook “pirates” doing just that. While it has happened on the platform, it doesn’t happen often. (You can read the full fact check here.)

In October 2022, a copypasta circulated on Facebook claiming “Facebook will start loading this summer.” It was wrong. The rumor is over a decade old; We debunked it back in 2009.

(Meta has since started its paid verification service Meta Verified. It would charge users $12 per month for a verification badge and for more identity theft protection. You can read the full fact check here.)

We received an email from a reader in October 2022 asking if copying and pasting text from a Facebook post would help see more posts from friends while getting fewer ads. When we looked at the claim, we found that it came from a copypasta that began, “To regain friends in your newsfeed and get rid of ads – hold your finger anywhere on this post and click ‘copy’.” The Post turned out to be a hoax. (You can read the full fact check here.)

In 2014 and 2015, claims spread that a “new hack on Facebook” was intended to “hurt and offend” friends. We found the claim wrong. “Hackers” cannot suddenly take control of someone’s accounts. (You can read the full fact check here.)