Yes, but they also used someone's profile picture, so I don't think that was the issue.

Even so, this seems like outrage for the sake of outrage. Did the users suffer any kind of harm whatsoever?

Real harm would be hard to prove, but this is deeply unprofessional on Twitter's part. You could probably make a case for implied endorsement, and maybe even win, but that seems besides the point.

This would be like a Google commercial featuring "blowski, Google User" in one part. There's no real harm to you, and you are a Google user (I assume), but you've been publicized in a massive way that you never consented to. People do not appreciate being thrust into the limelight suddenly and without warning.

This isn't a huge outrage, but it does suggest some process failure on Twitter's part. You never, ever, ever, ever, ever mock up designs with real user data. This looks like what happened here - someone thoughtlessly used the username and profile pic in a mockup, which eventually made its way to PR without verification.

There are some poor processes in Twitter's design department, evidently. Hopefully they'll learn from this. Never mock up designs with real data. Twitter should have a reserve of handles/profiles they actually own for marketing uses.

Most feature launches that need a 'scapegoat' use employees' likenesses or profiles. For example:

- the 'Twitter Teacher' who appears in the sign up flow used to work at Twitter;

- and, the profiles used in the verification flow are also employees (http://dashes.com/anil/2013/03/what-its-like-being-verified-...).

I agree that this was unprofessional though and hope the offenders learn from the mistake.

> deeply unprofessional on Twitter's part.

Agreed, but 'deeply unprofessional' should not imply hysteria. Worst case scenario, someone thinks their friend likes a coffee shop that does not exist.

I agree that hysteria would be an inappropriate response.

They weren't paid for their endorsement.

Is it still an endorsement if the thing they're endorsing doesn't exist?

They didn't even endorse a real company....

It's like being focused on at a football match. They didn't 'endorse' the match or the broadcaster, and it seems like most people love their 5 seconds of fame.

That's different because they showed up at the football match, and that's all that's being relayed. They didn't endorse the match or the broadcaster, but we're also not being told they did - which is what the fake tweets are doing.

“This @baristabar ad is giving me the coffee shakes. Looks so good!”

“I wish I could make fancy lattes like in the @barristabar commercial,”

“What is the song in the new @baristabar commercial? I love it!”

Barista Bar is fake so they're not endorsing anything really. I agree that it's a mistake on Twitter's part, but it doesn't seem malicious or serious. Public accounts and photos have got a bit more publicity than they expected.

No, it doesn't sound malicious or serious. Article is worthwhile almost exclusively as a "hey, don't do this"