Facebook now discriminating against Vietnamese users with non-English names

A Facebook post by a 23-year-old man named Phuc Dat Bich, pronounced “Phoo Da Bic,” has gone viral on social media. The Australian of Vietnamese descent claims his account has been shut down multiple times by the social media network on the grounds that his name is fake and offensive.

Facebook has a real name policy, which holds users accountable for whatever they post. Unfortunately, however, Facebook officials don’t believe Phuc Dat Bich’s name is real. In order to combat these charges, Phuc Dat Bich posted a picture of his passport on Facebook.

Phu Dac’s Facebook friends expressed their concern about his decision to publicly share his passport on social media. Others have pondered the possibility of identity theft.

“Who the HELL would want to steal THAT identity!!!,” wrote one Facebook user.

Phuc Dat is apparently a very common name in Vietnam, while Bich is a first name usually reserved for girls. One of his best friends with a relatively common name, Brett, confirmed his name was really Phuc Dat Bich and rejected claims that his passport had been doctored.

“He’s able to get through international airports so it is legitimate,” Brett told the Herald Sun.^[1]

“I find it highly irritating the fact that nobody seems to believe me when I say that my full legal name is how you see it,” wrote Phuc Dat Bich.

“I’ve been accused of using a false and misleading name of which I find very offensive. Is it because I’m Asian? Is it?

“Having my fb shut down multiple times and forced to change my name to my ‘real’ name, so just to put it out there. My name. Yours sincerely, Phuc Dat Bich.”^[1]

The complaint was originally made in January. His name began to receive traction again after an Australian newspaper breathed new life into the story.

His status has been shared more than 70,000 times and liked over 130,000 times by Facebook users. Phuc Dat Bich is currently trending on Twitter, as well. Many, on the other hand, have called upon Phuc Dat Bich to just embrace how his name sounds — the “Stralyn” way.^[2]

Sources include:

[1] News.com.au

[2] IrishExaminer.com