Facebook users' copyright posts unnecessary, useless

Q: Some social media devotees have been posting a copyright notice on their Facebook wall, claiming copyrights in the posted content in retaliation against a purported new Facebook policy. They are concerned that Facebook will own their photos, illustrations and writings posted on their wall. Is there any truth to this?

A: No. Facebook does not claim to own your postings. In fact, Facebook's Statement of Rights and Responsibilities expressly states that the account holder owns the information they post and determines how it is shared and used through their account settings. The account holder, as a condition of creating the account, grants Facebook a license to use any posted content. The license ends when you delete your content or your account. But remember, you control your account settings and if you allow others to access and copy your content, then the content probably lives on, and so does the license to Facebook.

Q: Does a status update claiming copyrights provide copyright protection?