A 23-year-old Melbourne man who claimed Facebook discriminated against him because of his name, 'Phuc Dat Bich', has admitted it was a hoax. The story, which went viral in mid-November, was reported by multiple media outlets including the BBC, Sydney Morning Herald, and others.
In a Facebook post signed 'Joe Carr', the man wrote that the name change and doctored passport image were part of a prank to highlight shortcomings in Facebook's 'real name' policy. He said the hoax showed how easily the media could be fooled.
The man, who later told Guardian Australia his real name was Tin Le, refused to provide verification. He said he 'wanted to make a point, to make people happy' with the prank. The Facebook profile was later deleted.
No journalist had verified the name 'Phuc Dat Bich' before reporting the story. Technology publisher Trevor Long had raised suspicions, noting inconsistencies in the passport photo.
