People are mocking that viral Instagram hoax with hilarious parodies
The hoax that went viral on Instagram, tricking celebrities and your aunt who shares too much about her marriage on Facebook alike, is being viciously parodied.
Publicly declaring that a social media platform can't invade your privacy by posting on that social media platformis much like Michael Scott from The Officedeclaring bankruptcy by literally declaring the word "bankruptcy" out loud — neither action actually protects you from anything.
Via GiphyOn Tuesday night, Instagram users worldwide pulled a major Boomer move by sharing a screenshot of a Notes App that claimed the platform could start using users' photos "in court cases in litigation against you." The viral text and its variations also claimed that privacy violations were punishable by law under the Rome Statute — which, by the way, was the international 1998 treaty that established the International Criminal Court. The United States already has a complicated relationship with the ICC, and the likelihood of the court prosecuting an American corporation who used someone's photos because they didn't share a screenshot is next to nothing.
SEE ALSO:How did this ridiculous Instagram privacy hoax from 2012 fool so many stars?That didn't stop celebrities like Martha Stewart, Scooter Braun, Usher, Rob Lowe, and dozens of others with massive social media followings from spreading the misinformation, though. Even the U.S. Secretary of Energy — the guy who's in charge of our country's nuclear weapons — shared the post.
Perry backtracked on Wednesday morning and shared a tongue-in-cheek wall of text giving Instagram "the express right" to publish, distribute, and sell content posted to his account. In the desperate attempt to be relatable and hip with America's youth, his list of approved content included "The real truth behind Area 51" and "Proof my wife is better looking than yours."
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Other parodies were a little less painful to read through.
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Celebrities took to Instagram Stories to make fun of Boomers who fell for the hoax.Credit: Tyson Ritter / InstagramOne brand poked fun at the Olds who fell for the hoax, slapping an AARP logo under the viral text.
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And CNN took a more grassroots approach.
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Bottom line: If you don't want to get parodied, look up the sketchy change in "privacy policy" before sharing it on Instagram.
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