I started noticing a whole bunch of people posting these status updates that read like legal notices to Facebook about copyright and original content people have been posting to their accounts. The sad reality was that folks who are in law school are posting this notice up as well.
In response to the new Facebook guidelines I hereby declare that my copyright is attached to all of my personal details, illustrations, comics, paintings, professional 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 If you do not publish a statement at least once, you will be tacitly allowing the use of elements such as your photos as well as the information contained in your profile status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.
The truth is quite straightforward- when you start your account with Facebook you agree to the terms and conditions that they present to you. Agree to the privacy and personal guidelines for use of the medium. You and Facebook have already agreed to the copyright and use through that initial step, there is nothing that will change that agreement, especially you as a consumer posting up a notice like that.
Facebook, can and has, changed their use agreement. Three years ago Facebook tried its hand in Democracy by allowing its users to vote on these, but those efforts fell flat partly because of how the company set up the procedure and a small degree to the lack of interested shown by users.
The worst part of this whole shenanigan is that people don’t even take the time to research what it is that they are posting. Like their slactivist mentality they channel their couch-sitting-lazy-ass-attorney. Here is how you can not look like fool when you see one of these posts
Look up the things your posting: Berner Convention is actually the “BERNE CONVENTION”
The Berner Convention is an agreement between countries to recognise copyright infringement regardless of where the original content was created. As in someone in Italy is still committing copyright infringement even if the original content was created in the America. However the Berne Convention does not make this message any less pointless. In fact it is the Berne Convention that makes even legitimate copyright disclaimers almost unnecessary.
Just because there is pseudo-legal-jargon doesn’t make the statement any more valid- for example the UCC 1 1-308-308 1-103 is the Uniform Commercial Code, your use of it doesnt mean much because its the same thing that Facebook is using in its privacy agreement.
If you really care about your “copyright” status go read the Facebook user guidelines yourself, you will notice that you retain your copyright to any original content you put on Facebook anyway.
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