Are you who you say you are on Facebook?

[Man_from_India]

In BBC news tweet I got this sentence :
"Are you who you say you are on Facebook? "

What is the meaning of this sentence? The "you" after "who" is bothering me.
But I am sure it is right as it's from a reputed source. Can you please explain?

 

[Hau Ruck]

It means:
Are you the person that you are telling everyone that you are?

It is quite a mouthful, but it's not incorrect.

 

[Man_from_India]

Well put it this way, making it assertive sentence:
You are who you say you are on Facebook.
To make it simple I'm adding "one": You are the one who you say you are on Facebook.
It sounds like the speaker is talking to himself. It will mean like you suggested if we omit "you" after "who" in the original sentence.
Please help.

 

[cyberpedant]

"Who you say you are on Facebook" is a noun clause acting as complement. Reversing the question form, the sentence becomes "You are who you are...."
"You say you are (your name, profession, qualifications, body shape, etc.) Is this true?" is the upshot of the question. The grammar of the original is fine.

 

[Man_from_India]

Your explanation is correct but when I am going through the original sentence it seems something else. It still confuses me. Please have a look at post #3.

 

[Hau Ruck]

I've read post #3 and really don't understand what you mean.

Adding "the one" does not make it simple to understand.

It does not sound like the speaker is talking to him/herself.

 

[entangledbank]

Let's say I have a Facebook account under the name Marilyn Monroe. I claim to be Marilyn Monroe. I say I am Marilyn Monroe. You are naturally sceptical, and say to me: 'You say you are Marilyn Monroe, but are you really Marilyn Monroe?'

I say I am Marilyn Monroe on Facebook. Marilyn Monroe is who I say I am on Facebook. (That gives us two pronouns.) With this version, you are still sceptical and ask about this identity - who I say I am on Facebook - by saying, 'Are you who you say you are on Facebook?' (There's the three pronouns all in a row.)

 

[PaulQ]

"Are you who you say you are on Facebook? " = "Are you the type of person that you describe on the Facebook page that has your name?"

There is a hanging question of, "or are you just pretending to be like that?"

 

[Man_from_India]

If you make it assertive it comes up:
You are who you say you are on Facebook.
Here it sounds "who" means "whom".

 

[cyberpedant]

Here it sounds "who" means "whom".

The objective (accusative) case (whom) would be wrong here.

 

[Man_from_India]

Thank you everyone I got it.
And entangledbank and PaulQ presented the best explanation. But others also have good contributions.