Microblog platform Twitter says it knows nothing about plans Telefonica’s Terra Networks has to launch a Spanish version of the service.
“Terra Twitter” appeared Tuesday at terra.es/twitter/, inviting registrations from would-be users and promising the site “in your own language”. It came complete with the Twitter logo, graphics and Telefonica’s own copyright notice, setting excited Spaniards tweeting in the belief they would get a localisation of the startup through a partnership arrangement.

But Twitter co-founder Biz Stone in San Francisco told Alt1040: “We do not have a business arrangement with Terra, nor have they contacted us. That’s all the information I have for you right now.” And he told FayerWayer: “Twitter does not have a partnership with Terra Networks or Telefonica (NYSE: TEF). Today is the first we are hearing about this news regarding Twitter and Terra.”

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Some Hispanic tweeters labelled Terra “evil” and called it “the scam of the century”, claiming to have been “deceived”. Twitter has an API and it’s entirely possible Terra is looking to build a legitimate service using that, but using the logo certainly gives the impression there is a formal alliance. Twitter is backed by a first funding round from Union Square Ventures and angels, scored in the summer.