Chances are you’ve seen a “Be like Bill” meme in your Facebook newsfeed. Created by meme generator Blobla.com, the “Be like Bill” images feature a stick figure and funny text.
However, the Better Business Bureau says the images could pose privacy concerns.
According to KFVS12, the Blobla generator’s terms of service said: “You will allow us to use, edit your content with our service permanently, no limit and no recover.”
Later, Blobla reached out to the Missouri TV station to say it was removing that from its terms to avoid confusion. The only reason it would use content was because of its option to create a post in other languages.
In other cases, similar websites create content that can contain viruses that can damage your computer, use your Facebook profile in ways you might not know, or even attempt to steal your credit card or bank account numbers.
Here are the BBB’s tips for staying away from these “clickbait” scams:
- Stay away from promotions of “exclusive,” “shocking” or “sensational” pictures or video.
- Hover over a link to see its true destination. Don’t click on links leading to unfamiliar websites.
- Change your password if you think your account has been compromised.
If you end up accidentally clicking on a potential “clickbait” link in Facebook, you can remove the app by going into the settings page on your profile. Once you’re in, click on the Apps page and simply delete the applications that seem suspicious or you know you haven’t connected to yourself.
Facebook says once you’ve removed the app or game, it should no longer post to your Timeline.
Keep in mind that the app or game may have stored info from when you were using it, but you can contact the developer and ask them to delete any info they still might have.
