Two years after Alex Jones and his site “InfoWars” went bankrupt, the conspiracy website has been acquired by The Onion. Following an auction, Jones’ platform will be reinvented by the satirical publisher, which has been a critic of Jones over the years as seen in some of its published satirical stories.
Find out what The Onion plans to do with “InfoWars” here.
What Is ‘InfoWars’?
“InfoWars” is a far-right-wing political website that was founded in 1999. It was operated under Free Speech Systems LLC. Known for his controversial statements and position — including his baseless conspiracy theory about the Sandy Hook Elementary, Connecticut, shootings — Jones led the platform for years.
Did ‘The Onion’ Buy ‘InfoWars’?
On November 14, 2024, multiple outlets reported that satirical publisher The Onion acquired “InfoWars” during a bankruptcy auction. According to NBC News, The Onion will rebuild “InfoWars” with a focus on internet humor and shut down Jones’ controversial and false content.
That day, Jones shared a video to his X account, noting that his platform had been shut down “without a court order.”
“I just got word 15 minutes ago that my lawyers and folks met with the U.S. trustee over our bankruptcy this morning, and they said they are shutting us down even without a court order this morning,” Jones explained, before adding, “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m going to be here until they come and turn the lights off.”
A letter posted to The Onion‘s website pointed out that “the decision to acquire ‘InfoWars’ was an easy one.”
“Through it all, InfoWars has shown an unswerving commitment to manufacturing anger and radicalizing the most vulnerable members of society,” read the letter.
Other bidders from the auction were not disclosed.
Where Is Alex Jones Now?
Jones and “InfoWars” have faced numerous legal issues over the years, but the most effective case was when the Sandy Hook Elementary families sued him. Jones was found liable for defamation, and juries awarded the families more than $1 billion in their lawsuits against the conspiracy theorist. However, Jones claimed he was unable to pay them the amount, and Free Speech Systems filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2022.