Why does @+[251859230739:0] become 'I'm gay' on Facebook?

[joeybee12]

Many Facebook users are telling their friends to copy a strange string of characters into a comment, modify it slightly, and then hit enter. If someone follows these instructions, the text he or she posted turns into "I'm gay." What's going on?

For starters, here's how those instructions typically look:

‎1. Copy this: @+<251859230739:0>
2. Paste it as a comment below.
3. Delete the "+" sign.
4. Press "Enter."

The secret to the magically changing text is in the first step.

The long number string corresponds to the ID number of a user-created Facebook page entitled "I'm gay." The "@" symbol and surrounding brackets instruct Facebook to convert the ID number into the page's title in a comment or Wall post — and the colon and the zero are supposed to prevent the text from turning into a hyperlink.

http://digitallife.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/17/8857103-why-does-2518592307390-become-im-gay-on-facebook?chromedomain=technolog

[xchrom]

1. who is this rosa golijan and why would she think that's cute? nt

[Kali]

2. are the dips sending it around 12?

[a2liberal]

3. K&R (n/t)