SALT LAKE CITY — Instagram isn’t trying to use your own photos against you on the social network, despite what a widespread hoax might say.
Adam Mosseri, the chief of Instagram, confirmed in his own Instagram story that there is an internet hoax spreading on the platform that says the social network will start using members’ photos against them.
“Heads up!” Mosseri wrote. ”If you’re seeing a meme claiming that Instagram is changing its rules tomorrow, it’s not true.”
The hoax is based around a meme that features a block of text that explains Instagram will add a new privacy policy that will allow the social media company to use old and private photos in court cases against users.
“Everything you’ve ever posted becomes public from today,” the post reads. “Even messages that have been deleted.”
The message asks users to re-share the photo, adding that it will “give notice to Instagram (that) it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute, or take any other action” against anyone who shares the image.
Multiple celebrities and politicians shared the photo on Instagram, falling for the hoax, according to CNN. Those celebs include Rob Lowe, Judd Apatow and Debra Messing.
U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry also fell for the trick, according to The Huffington Post.
But this isn’t the hoax’s first appearance on Instagram. Per NBC News, the years-old hoax has circulated the social media company before. The hoax reportedly began in 2012 on Facebook, which owns Instagram, according to Snopes.
“Similar messages were spread on social media, claiming erroneously that Facebook would be taking ownership of a user’s content unless they posted a disclaimer that they did not consent to the action,” according to NBC News.