.@quinnnorton has joined the @nytimes editorial board as lead opinion writer on the power, culture and consequences… https://t.co/azCTuXX32g

The New York Times on Tuesday announced it had hired writer Quinn Norton as an opinion columnist, then just hours later the newspaper reversed its decision and said she would not be joining after all.

The Times editorial board announced on Tuesday morning that Norton had been hired as a columnist on power, culture, and the consequences of technology.

"We’re excited to have Quinn to help our readers understand what’s possible and what’s sensible, and where we’re all headed," the board said.

Norton, who previously covered the Occupy and Anonymous groups for Wired magazine, has also had her work published in the Atlantic and other publications, according to her personal website.



On her Patreon page, Norton said that she had "gently shot down" the idea of writing for the Times when members of the editorial board first approached her in January.

"I tried to imply, strongly, I'm kind of weird," she wrote, before eventually accepting the offer. Her goal in taking the position, she said, was "to help the world understand itself well enough to stop the abuse before it started."