No joke: The Onion acquires Infowars in court-ordered deal

The Onion now owns Infowars’ website, products, and intellectual property.

Deal Details and Reactions

The Onion has acquired Infowars, the right-wing conspiracy empire founded by Alex Jones, in a court-ordered auction, a move announced Thursday by the families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. This acquisition includes Infowars’ website, product inventory, customer lists, social media accounts, and intellectual property. The deal comes after years of legal battles stemming from Jones’ promotion of false conspiracy theories about the 2012 tragedy, which led to a 2023 court ruling ordering him to pay over $1.5 billion in damages.

Sandy Hook Families Celebrate Justice

Robbie Parker, whose daughter was killed in the shooting, hailed the deal as a long-awaited justice. “The dissolution of Alex Jones’ assets and the death of Infowars is the justice we have long awaited and fought for,” he said. The families of the victims agreed to increase The Onion’s bid by forgoing part of the money Jones owed them. Everytown for Gun Safety, a non-profit formed after the shooting, also signed a multi-year advertising deal with the newly rebooted Infowars, set to relaunch in January 2024 under new ownership.

Jones’ Reactions and Infowars’ Future

Alex Jones reacted predictably, claiming that Democrats orchestrated his downfall as a political vendetta. Infowars’ popular host, Owen Shroyer, expressed disbelief, calling the situation “a satire of a satire.” Although Jones no longer owns Infowars, he plans to continue broadcasting, even without control of the media company.