The Onion buys Alex Jones's Infowars at auction

The Onion, known for its satirical take on news, has acquired Infowars, the media outlet run by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, during a court-mandated auction for an undisclosed amount.

According to The Onion, the offer was supported by the families of those affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, who successfully won a $1.5 billion (£1.18 billion) defamation case against Jones for spreading false information about the tragic event.

In September, a judge in Texas approved the auction, and different organizations, including some supportive of Jones and others opposing him, indicated that they planned to place bids on the company.

Jones started Infowars in 1999. He has promised to keep broadcasting on another platform.

In a lengthy video posted on Thursday morning, Jones described the takeover as a complete assault on freedom of expression.

"I'm not sure what will unfold, but I plan to stay here until they arrive and shut everything down," he expressed. "This is the oppression of the New World Order, eager to stifle the voices of the American public. It's the directive from Trump in the face of all the legal challenges – they don't seem to care."

The Onion is looking to revamp its website and showcase popular internet comedians and content creators.

"We aim to create an incredibly hilarious and delightfully ridiculous website," stated Ben Collins, the CEO of The Onion's parent company and a former NBC News journalist.

The site also shared a humorous piece, claiming that Infowars has consistently focused on stirring up anger and pushing the most at-risk individuals in society towards radical ideas.

The piece continued by stating that the humorous magazine has successfully outsmarted the unfortunate owner of InfoWars, compelling him to sell it for a surprisingly low price: under one trillion dollars.

An attorney representing the families of eight victims from the Sandy Hook tragedy stated that they backed the effort.

"Lawyer Chris Mattei stated that by taking Jones away from the assets of Infowars, the families involved and the team at The Onion have performed a valuable service to the public and will significantly reduce Jones' capacity to cause further damage."

Robbie Parker, whose daughter Emilie was a victim of the Sandy Hook tragedy, stated, "It's important for everyone to understand that having a platform doesn't exempt you from responsibility. The breakup of Alex Jones' assets and the end of Infowars represent the justice we've been seeking and striving for."

Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit organization focused on gun control, announced that it has secured a deal to promote its message on the new platform.

In the 1990s, Jones was a lesser-known broadcaster in Austin, Texas, but he eventually attracted millions of followers by combining commentary, conjecture, and outright falsehoods. The bulk of the company's revenue comes from its online store, which sells vitamins and various other items.

As time went on, Donald Trump's supporters and associates began to increasingly support Infowars. During his initial presidential campaign, Trump made an appearance on the show and told Jones, “You have a fantastic reputation. I won’t disappoint you."

The financial troubles faced by both the company and Jones originate from broadcasts that aired following the December 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

In the attack, twenty young students and six members of the school staff lost their lives.

Following the murders, Jones and his guests frequently questioned the reality of the massacre, suggesting various conspiracy theories about whether the killings were staged or conducted by government operatives.

At one stage, Jones referred to the incident as “a massive scam.” In 2015, he commented, “Sandy Hook was a fabricated event, entirely staged with actors, in my opinion... I recognized that there were actors involved, but I believed some actual children were harmed. It highlights their audacity in using actors so overtly.”

Supporters of the conspiracy theories promoted by Jones targeted the families of Sandy Hook victims, sometimes sending them images of their deceased children or their graves, and even sharing their private information online.

A number of individuals went to Newtown to look into the situation, and several have been detained for their involvement in harassing the victims.

Jones eventually admitted that the murders actually took place and argued that his comments were protected under the free speech laws of the United States.

However, the family members of the victims succeeded in winning defamation rulings against Jones and his business due to his misleading claims.

In 2022, he filed for bankruptcy as the Sandy Hook lawsuit progressed. By June 2024, a judge ruled that Jones's personal assets should be sold off. This decision encompassed a multimillion-dollar ranch, various properties, vehicles, boats, and firearms, which together amounted to approximately $8.6 million, as stated in court documents.