'Be like Bill' Facebook meme could be clickbait trap
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Many Facebook users have probably noticed their friends sharing an image of a stick figure in a winter beanie.
The image usually has bold text to the left of the stick figure and short sentences that follow a similar structure.
The text starts with "This is" and the name of a Facebook friend and ends with "Be like" followed by the name of the Facebook friend.
The meme is called "Be like Bill," and Facebook users generate the images with Blobla.com.
But the image could pose privacy concerns, according to the Better Business Bureau.
KFVS reported that the Blobla generator contains the term, "You will allow us to use, edit your content with our service permanently, no limit and no recover." And "The request to delete or correct the content will be carried out based on our decision."
Other sites with similar generators or quizzes may use your Facebook account in ways you are not aware of, or steal personal information, such as bank account numbers.
The BBB offered suggestions for avoiding Facebook and other social media scams:
- Hover over the link to see the true destination.
- Watch for phrases like "you won't believe what happens when…," "shocking video" and sensational images or headlines.
- Use these same methods to be sure your friends' profiles are not compromised.
- Use Facebook or Twitter tools to report spam or scams.
Bill is smart. Be like Bill
Have you seen this stick figure cluttering your newsfeed? WATCH OUT. You should check before you click. http://bit.ly/20qO9cu
Posted by Nichole Cartmell KFVS on Tuesday, January 26, 2016
