There’s a hoax going viral on Instagram. The post which people are reposting is a block of text claiming that Instagram is changing their privacy or photo rules. It says that the user does not give permission for their content or information to be used. It goes on saying that the new Instagram rule where they can use your photos is imminent and that private messages will become public.
The text continues on saying that I do not give Instagram or any entities associated with Instagram permission to use my pictures, information, messages or posts both last and future. It makes reference to “the Rome Statute”
The statue is a treaty established by the International Criminal Court and has nothing to do with social media companies using people’s photos.
The text adds that if you do not publish a statement at least once it will be tacitly allowing the use of your photos and it encourages people to copy and paste the post the statement on their profiles by saying that it’s better to be safe than sorry.
https://twitter.com/TaylorLorenz/status/1163987445337264129?s=19
The post itself looks edited in an amateur way as the word Facebook has been erased shoddily and replaced with Instagram. There’s a lot of misspellings and general nonsense.
The same type of text has been shared in Facebook previously(Channel 13 hoax) but now that it’s in Instagram, people are sharing it including really famous celebrities.
https://twitter.com/TaylorLorenz/status/1164013368010838021
Celebrities like including journalists, artists, actors like Wendy Goodman(New York Magazine), Shane Smith and Ben Dietz – both of Vice Media, Usher, Taraji P Henson, Rob Lowe, Julia Roberts, Debra Messing, Scooter Brain(Justin Beiber’s manager, Martha Stewart, Pink, Zoe Saldana, Judd Apatow, U.S Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Ashely Greene, Gal Gadot, James Kaliardos, Pati Dubroff, Beyoncé’s mom, Waka Flocka Flame, Eva Longoriaa, Peter Facinelli, Prateik Babbar have reposted the text.
https://twitter.com/TaylorLorenz/status/1164013368010838021
It even got Beyoncé's mom pic.twitter.com/hGuyfO7HTm
— Nicole Gallucci (@nicolemichele5) August 21, 2019
And Martha!! pic.twitter.com/nMp8NYzVz1
— Tove Danovich (@TKDano) August 21, 2019
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1aahDhHSHM/
Why…why are so many celebrities falling for this..??? pic.twitter.com/oabr2O58aL
— MaggieMae34 (@maggiemae34) August 21, 2019
They got Lennon Stella 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/dpMBSXoOY0
— alyssa (@its_AW) August 21, 2019
Some have gone to delete the post.
my mom sent this to me earlier, apparently julia roberts and a bunch of other celebs posted it… debra messing deleted it and THEN reposted it! pic.twitter.com/KpiBwLJOIg
— Andy Baio (@waxpancake) August 21, 2019
Trevor Noah posted ridiculing the other celebrities posting the hoax. Check Adam Mosseri’s comment.
https://twitter.com/TaylorLorenz/status/1164007113905102849
John Mayer also posted his photo mocking the viral hoax
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1aPUPVFX0q/
(Re: the legal cites in that it mentions … the… Rome Statute? Establishing the International Criminal Court? Are Insta crimes basically genocide now?)
— Andy Carr (@BespokeChili) August 21, 2019
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1aPUPVFX0
Stephanie Otway, Instagram’s brand communications manager said that there’s no truth to the viral post. Eva Chen, Instagram’s director of fashion partnerships shared this too.
Here’s the actual Instagram’s Terms of Service.
Here’s the good news: if you took the photograph, the copyright is probably yours. You haven’t given it away by posting on Facebook or Instagram. https://t.co/IbvKUc3JVH
— (((Mark Jaffe))), 5 Bridges Law (@MarkJKings) August 21, 2019
Please stop sharing it.
Facebook recently announced that they’re extending its third-party fact-checking service to Instagram extending its third-party fact-checking service to Instagram to fight off misinformation spread on its platform like this one.
