(UPDATED) If you're a Facebooker you'll probably see some version of this viral status update on your wall today:
Here's the text of another version:
IT IS OFFICIAL. IT WAS EVEN ON THE NEWS. FACEBOOK WILL START CHARGING DUE TO THE NEW PROFILE CHANGES. IF YOU COPY THIS ON YOUR WALL YOUR ICON WILL TURN BLUE AND FACEBOOK WILL BE FREE FOR YOU. PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ON, IF NOT YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELETED IF YOU DO NOT PAY
Contrary to what's claimed in these messages, however, it isn't official, this wasn't on the news, nor, for the ten-thousandth time, has Facebook announced any plans to start charging for services. Ever.
Albeit prompted by actual changes in the functionality of Facebook's member profile feature this past week, the posting above is not only false, it's 99% recycled. The claim that Facebook will start charging for basic membership is a recurring hoax, as is the claim that failing to pass the message along on will result in account deletion.
Definition of hoax: "An act, document or artifact intended to deceive or defraud."
Don't be a hoax enabler. Check the facts before sharing.
Update: There's already a new variant of the new variant. This posting, which claims Facebook has released a membership "price grid," is completely fictitious:
FACEBOOK JUST RELEASED THEIR PRICE GRID FOR MEMBERSHIP. $9.99 PER MONTH FOR GOLD MEMBER SERVICES, $6.99 PER MONTH FOR SILVER MEMBER SERVICES, $3.99 PER MONTH FOR BRONZE MEMBER SERVICES, FREE IF YOU COPY AND PASTE THIS MESSAGE BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. WHEN YOU SIGN ON TOMORROW MORNING YOU WILL BE... PROMPTED FOR PAYMENT INFO...IT IS OFFICIAL IT WAS EVEN ON THE NEWS. FACEBOOK WILL START CHARGING DUE TO THE NEW PROFILE CHANGES. IF YOU COPY THIS ON YOUR WALL YOUR ICON WILL TURN BLUE AND FACEBOOK WILL BE FREE FOR YOU. PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ON IF NOT YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELETED IF YOU DO NOT PAY.
Update: Facebook has issued a statement on these rumors.)
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Comments
whats the point in paying for a website on the internet
Porn. At your fingertips.
Pay for porn? Are you kidding? There are too many free sites that have full length porn movies! If you are paying for porn on the internet, you can be found under SUCKER on Wikipedia! lol
If they start to charge for being on facebook there will be alot of people leaving . If facebook would just leave things as they are now they might keep peolpe.
i know my space will be better
Uh, they AREN’T going to start charging. And, as annoying as the changes may be, Facebook has so many members and so many new ones joining all the time, that if a few annoyed ones leave, I doubt they care.
God forbid they change a free site you’re
Not obligated in any way to use.
like craigslist.com
Did anyone above actually read this article? Odd.
Ya apparently not! LOL
Apparently not…I’ve been posting almost non-stop the above thumbnail on my status and ppl are STILL circulating it. AARGGHH!!
I don’t think they did read the article. IT’S A HOAX PEOPLE!!!! Ugh I swear lol
Hey there are even free porn sites J…. as nick said… whats the point in paying for a website on the internet…
As you can see, some people go WAYYYY out of their way to fool people -_- As much as I hate these lies and hoaxes of facebook being “shut down” or “starting to charge,” it really does show how gullible society is :-\ I like DJ’s comment though. It really is as if people don’t read anything except the first line of new articles. “facebook shutting down (2 lines below it is proves its a hoax.” Reaction from reader: “OMG!! FACEBOOK IS CHARGING!”
I rest my case -_-
I wish there was a like button for this. I completely agree!
Agreed. I get tired of people filling up my feed with this junk. My goodness…..haven’t they learned after how many times that this is always a hoax? Very frustrating to see how the flock of sheep just goes along…..
Agreed. Some people are far too gullible. Really, to believe that posting a warning on your status would absolve you of the payment? come on. That alone is reason enough not to believe it, let alone question it’s validity and doing a little research.
I think people read the article and then wanted to hoax people like you into a post like the one you wrote.
I am glad that facebook isnt charging, I am a facebook fanatic and would be devestated if they were to charge for it!! I also believe that if some one pays for the internet then they should be able to do anything on there for free!! “ANYTHING”!!
I love how people complain about a FREE service, which isn’t even a service that we necessarily need, making changes to their site. “Oh! But I need it to keep in touch with friend!” If they are that important, then get their number and call or text time. Do we forget what life was like before Faceboook or something?
i wish i could like this.
i agree with jasen thomas!
What about before texts and telephones altogether? And before porn? Did you forget what life was like before porn?
A much better, more wholesome world.
Porn has existed as long as people have.
Jt, enough about the stupid porn…. get a life!
****LOVE****
That what ive been saying. People do have phones, address’,and email accounts. Facebook isnt the only thing out there to be in contact with people. Everyone complained about the change to facebook. Change can be good. I have so many REAL problems than facebook changing their feed.
Omg soooooo true. People are gullible and complain too much for their own good. You would figure that in a world in which you can always looks something up within a few seconds that more people would catch on that you got fear mongers out there getting their jollies off on stupid people’s fear triggered reactions.
OMG. where is the ” Like’s button for Jason’s comment?
worldnews.com, snopes.com and several other sites says this is a HOAX.
Facebook is already making profits from the advertisements, why would they risk LOSING millions of people by charging us? That would be insane. I surly wouldn’t pay to stay. I know that a lot of us are here to play the games and most of us can’t afford to pay so it would probably bankrupt FB if they started charging us. It would be nice if the CEO’S would post something on everyone’s wall telling us for sure what their plans are.
Just leave it the way it was pretty please. Nobody want’s this change.
It’s awesome how people think that Facebook is a human right or something. The people at Facebook can do whatever they want and they don’t need to ask everyone of their 750 mil users for permission. Don’t like it? Don’t use it.
Easy peasy.
Okay I see it like this. Facebook is getting old but the new changes make it look cool again. The problem with People around the world is that we don’t know how to adapt to changes around us. We get all freaked out and want to take it out on people. If you don’t like the new FACEBOOK just leave. it’s not like we’re holding a gun to your head and making you keep your facebook page. If you delete your account, somebody will make a new one so its a win win situation!
get a freakin life people, you’re upset about facebook?? REALLY?? instead of the computer, pick up a newspaper, or even watch the news on tv for those that are too lazy to read, see whats going on in the REALL WORLD
This is from a reputable news source:
Facebook is planning a subscription-based service with monthly fees starting at $0.99 for a basic “friendship” which allows for the posting of text and just one profile picture. This fee will increase, depending on the number of friends you have, the messages posted and sent, and the pictures/videos/ games put on a user’s page. The monthly fee will be capped at $50.00 per month at the high-end.
Bottom line: the more you use Facebook, the more you will pay.
STOP calling it a hoax! People are just trying to unify against being charged that’s why they are reposting, etc.
Bottom line: the more you use Facebook, the more you will pay.
Your ‘reputable’ source please
A Status on Facebook does not constitute “reputable.”
At least post a link to ur claim of this “source” .
I have a bridge I’d like to sell you. And you can afford it because you’ve just won the Nigerian lottery AND a bazillionaire who you’ve never met or heard of just died in a plane crash and named YOU as the beneficiary to his fortune! Just send me your bank account number and your PIN number and I’ll wire $250,000,000.00 into your account next Tuesday!
…. Moron
I wish I could ‘like’ this! haha
Bahahahahahaha Rob!!! That’s 2 funny…. sad but true!!! People are so gullable!!! :-/
The people at Facebook have stated they will NEVER charge for use of facebook. They make their money from the advertisers and have no need now or ever to charge for using facebook. your source is wrong! This IS a HOAX. Facebook knows that if they charge they will lose people therfore lose the need for advertisers and therefore lose money.
thats right..they earn $ for those addvertisment..so we don’t have to worry to this..unoying news..
Stop trolling! LOL
You mean this “reliable” website?
http://weeklyworldnews.com/headlines/28511/facebook-to-charge/
Can you trust a news site that has Aliens as one of it’s major sections?
i think they were testing the water to see if they could start charging and they back tracked to where they say that are not going but watch out for it in the furture.
just like “no new taxes” or was that “no nude texan”, either way they all lie.
Ya’ll are CRAZY!! Like one person said…”if u don’t like it get off!” Ha.. funny
this is some funny sh*t
actually seen alot of those on wall posts
people freakin out i guess, lmao
gotta looove facebook
If Facebook were to start charging monthly they would lose half their members and risk going bankrupt!. Common sense for them to continue charging for business adds only!
Facebook is CIA, they have your pictures and info! Their plan worked and do not need you anymore.
Thank you humans for participating!
THERE HAS BEEN QUITE A FEW PEOPLE REPOSTING THAT HOAX THAT FACEBOOK IS CHARGING TO USE. ME,MYSELF I DON’T BELIEVE THAT. WHY WOULD FACEBOOK START CHARGING. THAT JUST DOESN’T MAKE SINCE….THESE RUMORS ARE AGGREVATING.
Wtf… Dam There Dumb For Making Changes && Trying To Charge People! There Going To Lose A Lot Of People Just Like My Space!! Dam We Finally Had A Good Website Were We Could Just Be Our Selfs && Now They Wanna Pull Some BS Like This…! This Is The Dumbest Thing Ever!!! They Should Of Just Left Face Book The Way It Is!!!
Did you really just post that comment?
=.=
First, Facebook is NOT charging.
Second, like many others before me have CLEARLY stated, Facebook is a FREE website, meaning you DON’T and NEVER WILL have to pay. Therefore, they should be able to change WHATEVER they please. It is THEIR website. You all should be grateful for the fact that this lovely community site was even created !
I guess the only good thing I can get from your post is: — If Facebook had never been created, YOU would never have been able to complain about nonsense things like this with your half-lit, common sense, then no one else would have had the golden opportunity to realize what an idiot you are.
`sigh` I applaud your stupidity and how a fourteen year old girl can actually be smarter than you.
=3 think before you TYPE.
<3 mae ~
Three people that I have as friends posted this on their pages.
All three are Tea Partiers.
Coincidence?
@JPB Haha! Two on mine. One Tea Party, one holy roller. I think this proves your theory!
People are so stupid.
I wish they would start charging for Facebook. Then it will die a horrible death, and vanish into oblivion (or become home for rich whinny kids with too much time). Then I will stop hearing about these rumors, and all the pre-teens will go back to MySpace, and people will actually keep in touch with their real friends, and all those weirdoes who keep wanting me to be their friend so they can be the first to reach a million friends will go away. Maybe people will even talk to each other, even if on their cell phones!
I also wish there was no free porn. I might be able to make money then without having to work too hard for it.
Lmao @JPB.
How stupid are some of the posters. Facebook say they will never charge yet some people get in a flap thinking they have to pay.
These people are the same that can’t tell the difference between reality and a hoax.
I really do applaud the idiots who believe it are you meant to be on a computer in the nuthouse
Thanks! for all of the data that you give us a ” Heads up on”.
PEOPLE! IT’S NOT THAT DIFFICULT! LOOK AT THE LOG IN PAGE! ITS RIGHT ON THERE! “It’s free, and always will be!” GOD people can be so blind and retarded!!!!!!!
OK!!!! HERE IS THE REAL DEAL AND HOW TO GET BACK THE OLD SETTINGS!!! Finally, instructions on how to change your FB back to the way it used to be…… To change the Layout BACK to ORIGINAL STATUS, you MUST get NAKED, stand on your dining room table and do the Macarena, all while singing ”I Will Survive”. After filming and sending it in a private message to me, then, and only then, will Mark Zuckerberg come down your chimney to tell you that your account will stay the same. Pass it on, it must be true because a friend of a friend of someone on Facebook I hardly know told me by way of the ticker on the right side…
facebook are you kidding?
Hi David,
Thanks for this. APologies if I have copied your wrtings and pasted it in my facebook wall. I jsut wnat my fellow friends realize what they are doing. I already have read 10x of this issue today. Dont worry I have put there this site as a backlink. They will be visiting your page in some time now. Thanks
Rolly
after readin all the posts i can safetly say GROW THE F*** UP im 23yrs old and still live the way b4 facebook came along.
a hoax is a hoax and nothin will change unless facebook says so!!!!
if we dont have facebook, we still have mobile phones, hand written letters, emails and face 2 face communication.
if u only go on there 2 play games then stop look at urselves and think ive got 2 arms, 2 legs hmmm maybe ill go outside and play like all the kids frm previous generations did.
or if u go on there because ur lonely and want 2 feel loved evry time some1 accepts u as a friend then think i have a mouth, eyes and ears maybe ill go out and meet real people in my area.
my reason 4 bein on facebook is 2 stay in contact with friends in other parts of the world so im hardly evr on it as i have a life!
THANK U 4 READIN