Facebook 'Doppelganger' Craze Sort of Illegal

The newest craze on Facebook is “Doppelganger Week,” wherein users change their profile pictures to those of celebrities—heck, even Muppets—that they resemble. Problem is, CNET notes, that violates the social networking site’s terms of service. “You will not post content or take any action on Facebook that infringes or violates someone else's rights,” the agreement reads. But the site doesn’t seem to be sweating it.

For one, Facebook’s own early executives are played by celebrity doppelgangers in an upcoming movie on the site called, of course, The Social Network. Which makes one wonder, considering the fad’s founder is unknown… In any case, a Facebook spokeswoman was circumspect. “As always, Facebook will respond to requests for removal that it receives from copyright holders. In this case, we have received no such requests.” (More Facebook stories.)