'Libs of Tik Tok' Doxer Doesn't Like the Billboard That Conservatives Just Put Up in Times Square
Last week, The Washington Post’s internet culture reporter, Taylor Lorenz, doxed the anonymous owner of the popular Twitter account “Libs of TikTok.” Doxing refers to publishing personal identifying information about a private individual, typically on the internet.
The backlash against Lorenz was swift and fierce. She was widely criticized in the conservative media. But the Post, whose ironic slogan is “Democracy dies in darkness,” stood by its reporter and her story.
An editor from the newspaper published a statement that read, “Taylor Lorenz is a diligent and accomplished journalist whose reporting methods comport entirely with The Washington Post’s professional standards.”
Statement from @cameronbarr re: reporting from @TaylorLorenz pic.twitter.com/RsGw950t78
— Kristine Coratti Kelly (@kriscoratti) April 19, 2022
YouTuber and podcast host Tim Pool was especially irked by Lorenz’s stunt and thought it needed to be addressed. He floated the idea of buying a billboard in New York City’s Times Square to publicly troll the hypocritical journalist.
Should I buy a billboard in times Square saying Taylor lorenz doxxed @libsoftiktok
I wouldn’t care if they just owned it but the gaslighting deserves a proper rebuttal
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) April 24, 2022
Among the numerous responses came one from Jeremy Boreing, co-founder of The Daily Wire, who loved the idea and offered to cover half of the cost.
Yes. Do it. I’m good for half. https://t.co/9vsT44Twlv
— Jeremy Boreing (@JeremyDBoreing) April 24, 2022
And a couple of days later, their corner billboard was on full display in Times Square. It can be viewed in all its glory in the video below.
A series of brief messages appear at intermittent intervals. The full message reads, “HEY WAPO, DEMOCRACY DIES IN DARKNESS. THAT’S WHY WE’RE SHINING A LIGHT ON YOU. TAYLOR LORENZ DOXXED @LIBSOFTIKTOK.”
The Washington Post and Taylor Lorenz Doxxed @libsoftiktok
They included a link to private work details and an address listed as Libs’ private home
They lied about it so I got an ad in Times Square calling them out
Thanks to @JeremyDBoreing for the assist pic.twitter.com/mIupTc2rZ6
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) April 26, 2022
Lorenz hit back on Twitter:
Tim Pool and the CEO of the Daily Wire took out a giant billboard in Times Square today in an attempt to discredit my reporting on Libs of TikTok. https://t.co/p5dNT7Li1B pic.twitter.com/JMNlRqfeH4
— Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) April 26, 2022
This billboard is undeniably so idiotic it’s hilarious, but don’t forget that these campaigns have a much darker and more violent side. I’m grateful to be at a newsroom that recognizes these bad faith, politically motivated attacks and has a strong security team
— Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) April 26, 2022
Pool replied, “I’m calling you out for lying when you and WaPo denied linking to private details. You published Libs’ private address just own it.”
Im not discrediting your reporting, I’ve repeatedly said it was justified and “publishing a name we can argue the merits”
I’m calling you out for lying when you and WaPo denied linking to private details
You published Libs’ private address
just own it – https://t.co/d08gasC6VK
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) April 26, 2022
For a brief period, Lorenz’s article linked to the Libs of TikTok creator’s real estate license, which listed her home address, according to The Daily Wire. That link was later removed.
CNN’s Brian Stelter asked Lorenz about the doxing allegations during an interview last week. She told him, “That’s just false. That’s just patently false.”
“So what was the link to?” Stelter asked.
She replied, “I don’t know. I think maybe to an open government database? But absolutely nothing personal. Maybe like an old — I don’t know, but I just know that I went through that whole story myself and there was nothing personal, and I know this woman’s personal information.”
Believe that?
The link was gone by the time I read the article, but there sure were a lot of irate people who would dispute Lorenz’s claim.
At any rate, perhaps the most disturbing part of this story is that Lorenz herself has been the target of an online harassment campaign.
In February 2021, when Lorenz was a reporter for The New York Times, she wrongly accused Silicon Valley investor Marc Andreessen of using the word “retard.” In a widely read article, journalist Glenn Greenwald called her a “journalistic tattletale.”
In the clip below, which aired early this month, Lorenz shares her pain (and tears) with an MSNBC host. She becomes so upset that it is difficult for her to speak.
This was Taylor Lorenz a few weeks ago. Never forget pic.twitter.com/jFpusBTmfy
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 19, 2022
Lorenz said she had suffered “severe PTSD” from the harassment and had even contemplated suicide.
A couple of weeks later, not only did Lorenz publish the name of the Libs of TikTok curator, but she allegedly showed up at her relatives’ homes. A tweet posted by Libs of TikTok, complete with a photo of a woman who looks an awful lot like Lorenz, bolsters those allegations.
Hi @TaylorLorenz! Which of my relatives did you enjoy harassing the most at their homes yesterday? pic.twitter.com/QehkBSgcmG
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 19, 2022
Ethical professional standards or journalistic malpractice?
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