NY Times hires, fires journalist after controversial tweets resurface

The New York Times on Tuesday hired and then fired a new member of its editorial board on the same day after controversial tweets by the writer resurfaced.

Tech writer Quinn Norton was announced by the paper of record as its new “lead opinion writer on the power, culture and consequences of technology” shortly before 3:00 p.m.

.@quinnnorton has joined the @nytimes editorial board as lead opinion writer on the power, culture and consequences of technology. Read on in a note from @jbennet, @katiekings and @jimdao https://t.co/cASzLbrbB4 pic.twitter.com/groh0Si09M

— The New York Times Communications (@NYTimesPR) February 13, 2018

A Twitter backlash quickly ensued with old tweets that included what many deemed as racist and homophobic content by Norton being circulated across social media.

Norton, 45, says the tweets were taken out of context, but did admit she was “friends with various neo-nazis” despite having “never agreed with them.”

She also stated in a series of tweets that she “used a variation of offensive language to talk about question of tone.”

I’ve been a queer activist since 1992. But when I speak to communities, I used their language to do it. I talked about the Anonymous usage of “fag” and “faggot” here: https://t.co/1hdDvcrBB6

— Well that was fun. (@quinnnorton) February 13, 2018

I used a variation of offensive language to talk about questions of tone. I really wasn’t comfortable using the word directly, so I didn’t. I was trying to make a point, but something else would have made that point better. So, also not my best tweet.

— Well that was fun. (@quinnnorton) February 13, 2018

The Times at first appeared to be looking into Norton’s tweets, stating late Tuesday afternoon that it was “very concerned” about the backlash.

Shortly after 10 p.m., the Times said it was parting ways with Norton.

“Despite our review of Quinn Norton’s work and our conversations with her previous employers, this was new information to us. Based on it, we’ve decided to go our separate ways,” read a statement from Times editorial page director James Bennett.

The following is attributable to James Bennet, editorial page editor, The New York Times:

“Despite our review of Quinn Norton’s work and our conversations with her previous employers, this was new information to us. Based on it, we’ve decided to go our separate ways.” pic.twitter.com/ZtQnq0MLF8

— The New York Times Communications (@NYTimesPR) February 14, 2018

Quinn said she would continue in journalism and has a “long list of story ideas” to share moving forward.

“One good thing from all this, I have a long list of story ideas I was collecting for the times, and I’m really looking forward to fleshing them out and getting them out into the world,” she tweeted.

One good thing from all this, I have a long list of story ideas I was collecting for the times, and I’m really looking forward to fleshing them out and getting them out into the world.

— Well that was fun. (@quinnnorton) February 14, 2018

Quinn has written for publications including The Guardian, Medium, Wired and Maximum PC.