12/08/2025
I have been observing some posts over the last few days where people are posting on their feeds that they are “not allowing Meta (Facebook) to use their profile picture.” But what does this mean? How are you posting this? And the main thing is that this post changes nothing.
Why?
Here’s the reason:
First, take a look at this example. Usually, when we buy electronic gadgets or appliances, there’s a small booklet in the box, usually called a manual or quick start guide. What is this guide for? It includes all the cautions and tips on how to use that gadget. But most of us don’t read it we just ignores it.
It goes same with medicines. We only read or check the Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) when there’s a serious case like if the medicine is for a child or maybe for a heart patient.
Now, when we create an account on any website, there’s a button that says “I agree with the terms and policies” or a statement like “By creating this account, you agree to our terms and policies.” And once again, we ignore it.
Here’s the main point: you have already agreed and allowed Facebook to use your information in order to provide you with the best experience through their products. All the policies and terms are mentioned on Facebook's website explaining how you can use your information, how to control it, and how Meta (Facebook) can use it and why. For you help i am providing links below to these Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
So, by posting that “I am not allowing Meta (Facebook) to use my profile picture,” you’re not actually changing anything.
Here’s a real example of how these platforms can use your picture:
Last month, my LinkedIn account got hacked. But due to my security settings, I got an email notification and was able to confirm with LinkedIn that my account had been compromised. They locked it, and to unlock it and regain access, LinkedIn asked me to provide my CNIC and a live selfie.
Now you might wonder why they asked for this?
What they did was match my name, birth date, and address with my CNIC and account information. Then they compared my CNIC photo, my live selfie, and my LinkedIn profile picture. After verifying everything, they helped me recover my account.
That’s a practical example of how they can use your profile picture.
And here’s another important point don’t use fancy names like “Sycho Munda” blah blah and random nicknames while creating social media accounts. Use your real name, address, and picture so that if, for any reason, your account gets hacked, you can recover it easily.
I hope you understand my point. I’m sharing this because some people are posting such messages, and others are making fun of them. But this is not a joke. We need information and education so you understand what you’re using, why you’re using it, and what agreements and policies you have already accepted.
So, before creating an account on any platform, first read its terms and policies. If you agree with them, then move forward.
Thanks.
Link of Facebook's Policies: https://web.facebook.com/policies_center/
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