The Onion buys Alex Jones's Infowars at auction
The Onion, a satirical news outlet, has acquired Infowars, the media company run by right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, for an undisclosed amount during a court-ordered auction.
The Onion reported that the proposal was supported by families of the victims from the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. These families have successfully won a defamation case against Jones, resulting in a $1.5 billion (£1.18 billion) judgment for his dissemination of false claims about the tragedy.
In September, a judge in Texas mandated an auction, prompting different groups, including supporters and opponents of Jones, to indicate their intention to place bids for the company.
Jones established Infowars back in 1999. He has promised to keep his broadcasts going on an alternative platform.
In a long-winded video released on Thursday morning, Jones described the takeover as a complete assault on free expression.
"I'm not sure what the future holds, but I'm going to stay here until they finally come in and switch off the lights," he stated. "This represents the oppression of the New World Order, eager to quiet the voices of the American people. It's Trump’s fight against all the legal attacks – they simply don’t care."
The Onion intends to revamp its website and showcase popular internet humorists and content creators.
"We aim to create a website that’s both hilarious and delightfully absurd," stated Ben Collins, the CEO of The Onion's parent company and a former journalist with NBC News.
The website also shared a humorous piece, claiming that Infowars "has displayed a steadfast dedication to inciting outrage and pushing the most impressionable individuals in society towards radical views."
The piece continued by mentioning that the satirical magazine has managed to outsmart the unfortunate owner of InfoWars, compelling him to sell it for a surprisingly low price of under one trillion dollars.
An attorney representing the families of eight victims from the Sandy Hook tragedy stated that they were in favor of the attempt.
"By removing Jones' control over Infowars' assets, the families and the staff at The Onion have performed a valuable service to the public and will significantly limit Jones' capacity to cause further damage," attorney Chris Mattei stated.
Robbie Parker, the father of Emilie who lost her life in the Sandy Hook tragedy, expressed: “It's important for people to understand that having a voice or a platform doesn't exempt you from being held accountable. The dismantling of Alex Jones' assets and the downfall of Infowars represent the justice we've been seeking and striving for.”
Everytown for Gun Safety, a non-profit organization advocating for gun control, announced that it has secured a deal to promote its message on the new platform.
Jones started off as a lesser-known broadcaster in Austin, Texas, during the 1990s and later attracted a massive following by combining personal viewpoints, guesses, and outright lies. The bulk of his revenue comes from an online store that sells vitamins and various other items.
As time passed, Infowars garnered more support from Donald Trump’s associates and his followers. During his initial campaign for the presidency, Trump made an appearance on Infowars and expressed to Jones, “You have an incredible reputation. I won’t disappoint you.”
The financial struggles faced by both the company and Jones arose from statements made following the December 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
The attack resulted in the deaths of twenty young students and six members of the school staff.
Following the tragic events, Jones and his show guests often questioned the reality of the massacre, suggesting various conspiracy theories that proposed the killings might have been staged or orchestrated by government officials.
At one stage, Jones referred to the incident as “a massive scam.” In 2015, he stated, “Sandy Hook is entirely fabricated, featuring actors; that’s my opinion. I believed they had some real victims, but it’s evident how daring they are to use actors without hesitation.”
Supporters of the conspiracy theories promoted by Jones targeted the families of the Sandy Hook victims, sometimes sending them images of their deceased children or gravestones, and even sharing their personal details on the internet.
A number of individuals went to Newtown to look into the situation, and multiple people have been taken into custody for their involvement in harassing the victims.
Jones later admitted that the murders actually occurred and argued that his comments were protected under American free speech laws.
However, the victims' family members succeeded in obtaining defamation rulings against Jones and his business due to his misleading claims.
He filed for bankruptcy in 2022 while the Sandy Hook lawsuit was proceeding. By June 2024, a judge ruled that Jones's personal assets should be sold off. This encompassed a ranch worth millions, along with various properties, vehicles, boats, and firearms, amounting to approximately $8.6 million as noted in court documents.
