Satirical news outlet The Onion has officially acquired Alex Jones' Infowars platform in a bankruptcy auction, a move supported by families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims.
The acquisition follows Jones' $1.5 billion defamation ruling for falsely claiming the 2012 tragedy, which claimed the lives of 26 people, was a hoax. The families, who endured years of harassment fueled by Jones' conspiracy theories, see this as a significant step toward justice.
The Onion Secures Winning Bid to Acquire Infowars
The auction's results have sparked both celebration and controversy. Backed by the families and a partnership with Everytown for Gun Safety, The Onion intends to transform Infowars into a parody site.
The satirical outlet plans to shed light on misinformation in the media and the exploitative practices of fear-based commerce—a hallmark of Jones' operations, CNN said.
According to The Onion's CEO, Ben Collins, this revamped platform will serve as a critique of figures like Jones, who profit from spreading baseless conspiracies.
The Sandy Hook families played a pivotal role in ensuring The Onion's winning bid by agreeing to forgo a portion of their settlement to boost its value. While the exact terms of the bid remain undisclosed, Collins confirmed it was enough to surpass other offers, including one from a group reportedly aligned with Jones.
However, the auction process hasn't been without scrutiny. A federal judge temporarily paused the sale to address concerns raised by Jones and his legal team about transparency.
Allegations include limited communication with backup bidders and ambiguity over the winning bid's details. While the judge stopped short of accusing anyone of misconduct, he emphasized the need for clarity before finalizing the sale.
Infowars Set to Relaunch
Despite these delays, preparations for Infowars' relaunch are already underway. Set to debut under its new satirical guise in early 2025, the platform will also feature advertisements from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit advocating for stricter gun control.
According to the NY Times, the partnership is seen as both a strategic move and a symbolic victory for the victims' families, who have long sought accountability for the harm caused by Jones' rhetoric.
Jones, who vows to continue broadcasting on new platforms, has called the sale unconstitutional. In a video statement, he urged his supporters to follow him elsewhere, asserting that he won't back down.
For the Sandy Hook families, the dissolution of Infowars marks a long-awaited triumph. Robbie Parker, whose daughter Emilie was killed in the shooting, expressed hope that this development sends a clear message: owning a platform does not mean escaping accountability.
