Rick Perry falls victim to Instagram hoax

AUSTIN, Texas _ Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry was caught up in a widespread Instagram hoax Tuesday.

Perry, the U.S. energy secretary, posted on Instagram a screenshot of a long memo claiming, incorrectly, that Instagram is revising its privacy policy and that the social media giant will publicly release all photographs and "use your photos," including "in court cases in litigation against you."

"Everything you've ever posted becomes public from today," the memo read. "Even messages that have been deleted or not allowed."

The memo, which has been spreading on various social media platforms, urged people to repost the message to oppose the policy change.

"Instagram DOES NOT HAVE MY PERMISSION TO SHARE PHOTOS OR MESSAGES," the last line of the memo read. Perry also shared his Instagram post, which has since been deleted, on Twitter with the hashtag "#nothanksinstagram."

Instagram has been quick to deny the hoax, which has spread on other social media platforms in various forms before.

"Heads up! If you're seeing a meme claiming Instagram is changing its rules tomorrow, it's not true," Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, wrote on his Instagram story Tuesday.

After receiving intense blowback on Twitter and Instagram, Perry poked fun at his blunder on Wednesday.

"I give Instagram the express right to publish, distribute and/or sell any or all of my digital content posted to the account @governorperry as they see fit," Perry said on Twitter, before listing off a series of items, including "pictures of dachshunds," "George Straight lyrics," "Pies baked and possibly eaten in or near Round Top, TX," among others.

Several other public figures, including actresses Julia Roberts and Debra Messing and musicians Usher and Pink, also shared the fake memo.