There are two good reasons NOT to join Facebook Groups protesting that Facebook will start charging users.
1. These claims are false. Facebook has deny any rumors that they will charge users
2. These groups can lead you to malicious sites that can infect your PC with viruses and spyware.
Here is a Facebook page that puts to rest the rumors about Facebook charging users: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Face-Book-will-never-charge-users-The-facts-the-truth/262579709805
Here is another link from telegraph.co.uk dismissing these rumors: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/6973757/Facebook-dismisses-rumours-of-charging-plans.html
And last but not least, checkout the snopes.com article dispelling this Facebook falsehood:
http://www.snopes.com/computer/internet/fbcharge.asp
More important, these phony FB groups have more nefarious intentions – to infect your PC with nasty viruses and spyware. Here’s a message from Facebook warning about these groups.
The rumor about charging $4.9…9 or £3.99 or £14.99 a month is totally made up. However, confusion is not what the scammers seek: members of the group are directed to external websites that are capable of installing malware. Some of the sources can even download 25 different infections automatically upon visit.
If you did join one of these groups then you should eliminate it from your Facebook account and run a full anti-virus scan on your PC ASAP.
If you do not have an anti-virus program then stop, drop, and roll…and click on the following link for instructions on how to get the free version of the AVG anti-virus software.
http://www.techadvocate-solutions.com/techtips/2009/12/09/avg-anti-virus-9-update/
I think it is awesome that Facebook provides FREE online services to hundreds on millions of people all over the world. But it puzzles me why people rise up in protest at just the rumor of Facebook potentially charging users. Even if Facebook charged $4.99 a month this calculates to just 16 cents a day! Yet we pay A LOT more to use cell phones and landlines. Makes you think!
If you are a Facebook user would you consider their service worth 16 cents a day? Let me know your thoughts by posting your comments.
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