Article mentions various music artists such as The Beatles being cancelled in 1966 and Sinéad O’Connor in 1992 (both in conflict with the mighty Catholic Church) and The Dixie Chicks in 2003. More examples here [1]. Pre-internet, it's as old as Rome^H^H^H^HAthens.
Paul Graham claims the person who popularized the term in the USA is anything but a rightist. According to their Wikipedia page they see themselves as centrist. It doesn't matter who popularized the term though. The phenomenon pre-internet is older, and you arguing it is good or evil or neutral or whatever is like a discussion on ethics. Or politics. Ie. opinionated, without a clear (scientific) answer to it.
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/dixie-chicks-were-cancelled-...