Ex-New York Times Reporter Exposes Paper's Obsession with Disinformation and Cancel Culture

A former New York Times reporter has lifted the lid on the inner workings of the paper, exposing an unhealthy obsession with disinformation and a willingness to engage in cancel culture.

As a reporter for the New York Times, Nellie Bowles found herself questioning the increasingly radical positions being taken by the paper, particularly in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests.

Her questioning, however, began to make her a "problem" for the paper's "Narrative Enforcers," who viewed her as a threat to their progressive agenda. These "Disinformation Experts" operated a Slack channel where they monitored conservative news stories and labeled them as "disinformation."

One of these experts, "Todd," was particularly active in the channel, flagging anything that went against the mainstream narrative. He would post TikToks mocking Covid restrictions and tweets calling out right-wing internet activity.

Bowles notes the paper's blatant shift from journalism to activism, with an open disdain for Republicans. She describes the new guard at the paper as being on a mission to wield the pen for justice, even if it meant abandoning objectivity.

This obsession with disinformation extended to Bowles' own work. She was pressured to incorporate a "disinformation analysis" into her profile piece on the conservative video channel PragerU, effectively labeling them as a purveyor of false information.

Bowles argues that this focus on disinformation and cancel culture stifled legitimate debate and stifled critical thinking. She compares it to McCarthyism, where individuals are accused of wrongthink and blacklisted without due process.

The book has been met with mixed reactions. The New York Times review by Laura Kipnis scathingly attacks Bowles, claiming the book is an attack on progressives in favor of conservatives.

However, Bowles' book has also been praised by some for exposing the dangers of cancel culture and the erosion of free speech in media. Former New York Times opinion editor Bari Weiss has called it "a must-read for anyone who cares about the future of journalism."

Bowles' departure from the New York Times in 2021 and subsequent move to the media company The Free Press highlight her disillusionment with the paper's direction. Her book serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of allowing ideology to trump journalistic objectivity.