Last Updated on February 12, 2021
A new Twitter app called “Block NYT” allows users to immediately block over 800 “disinformation” accounts linked to The New York Times.
“It’s time to block,” the official Block NYT app said in a tweet. “Twitter users have begun mass-blocking New York Times-linked accounts to control the flood of corporate disinformation online.” Their blocklist contains over 800 New York Times reporters and accounts, which users can add to their blocked accounts by signing up to the app.
It's time to block.
Twitter users have begun mass-blocking New York Times-linked accounts to control the flood of corporate disinformation online.
Now, a new app automates the process. For a limited time, block 800 NYT reporters for the low price of $0. https://t.co/P0MuarxDRJ
— Block the New York Times (@blocknyt) February 8, 2021
On their website, BlockNYT.com, the organisation, who currently remains anonymous, includes a collection of links to scandals at the New York Times, such as the recent disastrous 1619 Project that was riddled with “factual errors,” the New York Times terrorism podcast that had its Pulitzer Prize rescinded due to concerns over “accuracy,” along with older stories like their reporting on communist Cuba, the NSA, and the Iraq War.
I have no idea who is behind https://t.co/mDRgqdv10M but wow wow wow pic.twitter.com/lT5tZq1nbE
— Neanderthal Scholar Poso (@JackPosobiec) February 8, 2021
The app encourages users to uninstall the application after they have used it to block the journalists on the list, noting that even after uninstalling, the journalists will still stay blocked. Users concerned about the amount of permissions that the app asked for were informed that this was purely down to the Twitter API itself.
https://twitter.com/nicoaferr/status/1358812366893441026
The full list of journalists also includes other related corporate journalist accounts, not just those who work at the New York Times, like Brian Stelter of CNN, and Vox Media’s official Twitter account.
I just blocked 800+ journalists from @nytimes using @blocknyt. It’s a #NYTblockParty, folx.
(apparently screen capture also grabs system audio? so, enjoy @benshapiro ranting in the background đŸ˜‚ ) pic.twitter.com/bpRlJvk1ff
— Andrew Stern (@android_stern) February 8, 2021
In a report, the Daily Dot had claimed that the Block NYT account was simply a PR stunt for Gab, the New Tech social media site, identifying Chase Geiser as the man behind the organisation, which has not been confirmed. Gab CEO Andrew Torba described the story from the Daily Dot as “unsourced trash” – while Gab has nothing to do with Block NYT, they “salute whoever does.”
https://twitter.com/getongab/status/1359705413688647687
https://twitter.com/getongab/status/1359682333272657924
