Viral Instagram post fools Rick Perry, Julia Roberts, Usher

Viral Instagram post fools Rick Perry, Julia Roberts, Usher
Photo credit: Getty / Snopes / Usher.

A viral Instagram post has fooled a slew of celebrities, including the man who is partly responsible for the United States' nuclear arsenal.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry shared a post on Instagram saying he was legally preventing the social media site from using any photos he uploaded.

The message said Instagram was bringing in a new rule allowing the company to take users' photos and that all posts would become public - including deleted private messages between users.

It suggested that by posting the notice, users would be exempt from the rule.

"I do not give Instagram or any entities associated with Instagram permission to use my pictures, information, messages or posts, both past and future," it said,

"With this statement, I give notice to Instagram [that] it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute or take any other action against me based on this profile and/or its contents."

A screenshot of the message taken by Snopes.
A screenshot of the message taken by Snopes. Photo credit: Snopes.

However, the claim Instagram was changing its regulations and would begin taking photos was false.

A spokesperson for Facebook - which owns Instagram - confirmed to BuzzFeed News there was "no truth to this post".

Many Twitter users shared Perry's post, mocking the man who tried to run for US President in 2011.

"How the hell are you in charge of the department of energy when you fall for the social media version of chain email," said one person.

After realising his mistake, Perry commented on the post: "OMG.... seriously, you mean this is fake." and "I'll be darned! First time I've seen anything fake on the internet!"

He later deleted the post.

But Perry wasn't the only well-known figure to be fooled. Fact-checking website Snopes reports several celebrities like Judd Apatow, Julia Roberts, Usher, Julianne Moore, and Debra Messing were all taken in by the ruse.

Newshub.