# Facebook Copy & Paste, don't share **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 25, 2016, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-copy-paste-dont-share/758354 "2016-06-25T21:05:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2016, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-copy-paste-dont-share/758354/1 "2016-06-25T21:05:36Z")
I see the request to copy & paste rather than share attached to spam/glurge/easily debunked memes all over Facebook. Usually posted by dimwits and/or future Darwin Award candidates. Why the request to copy & paste rather than share? Is there some benefit one way or the other? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2016, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-copy-paste-dont-share/758354/2 "2016-06-25T22:57:39Z")
I don’t know the answer to your question, but I have noted that those requests frequently include instructions on how to do it: “hold your finger on this post until the word “copy” appears, then select it and…” I chuckle at all the dolts with laptops and desktops pressing their finger on their screens… ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-copy-paste-dont-share/758354/3 "2016-06-26T00:10:41Z")
I can usually tell in the first line if it’s a spammy post, but when I see copy and paste, don’t share, I know it is. It makes no sense. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-copy-paste-dont-share/758354/4 "2016-06-26T00:26:24Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I don’t know the answer to your question, but I have noted that those requests frequently include instructions on how to do it: “hold your finger on this post until the word “copy” appears, then select it and…” I chuckle at all the dolts with laptops and desktops pressing their finger on their screens… Saw one yesterday. Told the old old flame that no matter how long I held my finger (I didn’t really) the word copy never showed up and wouldn’t it be easier to highlight and copy with my mouse like any other text? After 3 decades plus, she forgot my sense of humor and tried to explain how that was meant for touchscreen devices. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-copy-paste-dont-share/758354/5 "2016-06-26T00:30:35Z")
Just a WAG, but wouldn’t c&p made it harder to trace the glurge back to a source? Share leaves a trail. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-copy-paste-dont-share/758354/6 "2016-06-26T01:01:49Z")
Also, c&p is likely going to result in somebody clicking on a link in the post from time to time, which is problematic for a couple reasons… sharing spam is bad. Clicking on links in spam is very bad. ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-copy-paste-dont-share/758354/7 "2016-06-26T01:14:31Z")
One reason for the c&p request is to keep numerous posts out there. If everyone shares and John Smith later deletes his shared post, everyone who shared from John Smith will lose their post. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-copy-paste-dont-share/758354/8 "2016-06-26T02:11:33Z")
One difference, if I understand how Facebook works, is this: if you share a post, only mutual friends of you and the original poster can see the post, if both posts are set to “friends only”. But if you copy and paste, then all your friends can see it. In other words, it gets around one of the privacy settings of the original poster. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-copy-paste-dont-share/758354/9 "2016-06-26T18:25:31Z")
Thanks for the replies everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Nansbread1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Nansbread1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nansbread1)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-copy-paste-dont-share/758354/10 "2016-06-26T18:38:50Z")
Arent these stupid spam splurges meant for dimwits actually made by paid idiots who prepare these idiotic philosophical musings about cancer, war, forgiveness, teachers, parents etc etc so that when released into facebooksphere it helps to increase traffic on these sites and therefore lift the brand image??? That Was what i was led to believe. Dont have a cite. There is method in this madness and it is indeed targeted at people with low intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facebook-copy-paste-dont-share/758354/11 "2016-06-26T20:22:42Z")
I think it has to so with engagement. People are more likely to ignore shares. It may also get around propagation limits. Finally, I suspect that Facebook does some does word detection in seeing what posts would interest you.