The latest update to the terms of use for Facebook posted earlier this month, informs users that the site can keep and use pictures of all users, even after a user takes them down.
A condensed version of the licences subsection reads:
"You hereby grant Facebook an irrevocable, perpetual... worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, publish... display... modify, edit... adapt, create derivative works and distribute... any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the Facebook Service."
Brian Bowman is a Winnipeg-based privacy lawyer and he told CTV News that people need to start reading the terms of use.
"I think they should be concerned whenever you see this type of broad language being used," said Bowman.
The fine print notice comes as a surprise to some Facebook users.
"I obviously wasn't aware of that, and I bet you most people aren't," said university student Mack Nugent.
Bowman also suggests that people may want to consider Canadian networking sites, which are governed by Canadian privacy laws.
"You are probably going to be afforded much better privacy protection in Canada than you will in other countries such as the United States," he said.
Jennifer Buller now sees a reason to be concerned about her privacy on Facebook.
"If it comes down to it and they can start manipulating pictures or whatever for whatever reason, then I definitely don't agree with that," she said.
Previously, Facebook's terms of use gave users the right to remove content from the site, automatically making the license expire, but now that paragraph is gone.
Facebook tells CTV that their terms of use is not intended to give them ownership of photos but to make a point that if you delete your profile, your pictures and comments will not be automatically deleted from your friend's profiles.
With files from Bill Fortier
