Washington Post journalist Taylor Lorenz was criticized Monday after it appeared she was planning to reveal the woman behind Libs of TikTok, an anonymous Twitter account that re-shares videos leftists post on social media to expose their radicalism.
The plans to reveal the woman behind the account came after Ron DeSantis spokesperson Christina Pushaw shared an email she received from Lorenz saying she planned to release a story about it. Lorenz herself recently gave a tearful interview speaking about online harassment she has received as a journalist.
“The Bezos Post’s internet hall monitor is so excited to “expose” @libsoftiktok. Here is my comment: 🤡,” Pushaw wrote as the caption to the screenshot of the email. Many other followers shared her outrage.
The Bezos Post’s internet hall monitor is so excited to “expose” @libsoftiktok. Here is my comment: 🤡 pic.twitter.com/SodXls9NV7
— Christina Pushaw 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) April 19, 2022
Backlash was immediate, especially considering how Lorenz recently gave a tearful interview on MSNBC in which she claimed to have “severe PTSD” from being a journalist and being on the receiving end of mean tweets.
“It takes a special kind of psychopath to cry on television over internet harassment and then dox the woman behind an anonymous Twitter account less than two weeks later,” Greg Price, a political digital strategist, replied.
“SHOCKER it’s Taylor Lorenz who LIVES for cancel culture then cries on TV about it lol,” podcast host Alex Clark wrote.
“Surely not the same Taylor Lorenz who was crying like a child over online harassment? Amazing,” YouTube personality Blair White shared.
Journalist Glenn Greenwald also had some harsh criticism. “Taylor Lorenz is about to ‘expose’ the private citizen behind some anonymous account on Twitter, and when people criticize her for it, she and her friends will claim Taylor is the Real Victim™ and anyone criticizing this type of ‘journalism’ will be guilty of causing her trauma,” he wrote.
Libs of TikTok has attracted more than a half-million followers and tens of millions of views on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube since launching the account in 2020. The feeds showcase the most deranged videos of leftists, especially teachers, and have helped expose a variety of scandals.
The creator spoke with The New York Post in February. She said, “I don’t do this for money or fame. I’m not some politician or blue-check journalist. And people feel like they have someone they can talk to when they have no one else to ask to help them spread.”
She went on to talk about how many contributions she receives in her inbox daily.
“With me, they have a place to reach out to to get the message out,” the Libs of Tik Tok creator continued. “I feel like there are so many small stories that are so important that aren’t getting out — and that’s what I’m here for. It sometimes feels like a mini Project Veritas.”
She also told The Post that negative comments and threats are common.
“I can’t see any of the people I’ve posted about coming to my home,” she said. “I don’t think they’re violent.”
The account creator said she’s been called a ‘Nazi,’ ‘white supremacist,’ ‘grifter,’ and a ‘liar.’” However, she says she tries not to let it affect her.
“I’m not offended — I think these people are so broken. The people on the left who all day call people Nazis and white supremacists are so broken. All the left-wing media are brainwashing people,” she told The Post.