DevTernity, an online conference, faced backlash and was eventually canceled for featuring fake female speakers. The controversy was uncovered by Gergely Orosz, who found that the conference had used fake profiles in the past. The story took a strange turn when it was revealed that one of the fake profiles was a fully realized catfish named “Julia Kirsina.” The conference organizers were widely condemned, and many scheduled speakers dropped out. The organizer addressed the allegations, claiming they were trying to boost diversity but made a mistake.
The incident highlights the need for genuine efforts around diversity. Diversity may not happen organically, yet it should not be faked.
Use such incidents as case studies for internal training to reinforce ethical practices and the importance of diversity. Sometimes, “don’t be like that” is the crucial lesson.