The Onion has struck an agreement to take control of Infowars, the far-right media outlet founded by Alex Jones, subject to approval by a Texas judge. If the deal is approved, Jones would lose his Infowars platform and The Onion would relaunch the site as a parody- and satire-driven network, with reports saying it could even advocate for gun control.
Families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, who secured nearly $1.3 billion in defamation judgments against Jones after he falsely claimed the massacre was staged, back the sale. The families pursued the litigation after facing harassment and threats from Jones’ followers and say the transaction could both channel payments to them and reduce future harm. “When Infowars finally goes dark, the machinery of lies that Jones built will become a force for social good, thanks to the families’ courage and The Onion’s vision, persistence and stewardship,” said Chris Mattei, an attorney for the families.
Ben Collins, CEO of The Onion, described the agreement as “a significant step in an effort to transform one of the internet’s more notorious misinformation platforms into a new comedy network for satire,” and said rollout plans could be announced within weeks if the judge signs off. The Onion also posted a tongue-in-cheek message from a fictional parent-company CEO, Bryce P. Tetraeder, celebrating the acquisition.
Jones has vowed to challenge the arrangement, accusing The Onion of attempting to “steal and misrepresent” his identity and threatening lawsuits. He urged supporters to buy newly released Infowars merchandise ahead of the possible transfer. Even if he loses control of the Infowars site, Jones could continue broadcasting under another name or platform. His attorneys did not respond to requests for comment.
A federal bankruptcy judge last year rejected The Onion’s earlier attempt to buy Infowars via a bankruptcy auction, finding flaws in that process. Because Infowars’ parent company, Free Speech Systems, is not in federal bankruptcy, a Texas state receiver is overseeing the property and concluded that licensing the intellectual property best serves the receivership. Under the current deal, The Onion would pay $81,000 a month to license the Infowars.com domain and brand, funds the receiver says will cover carrying costs while appeals proceed and a future sale is considered.
Separately, Jones’ personal bankruptcy case is moving forward in federal court, where a trustee is selling his personal assets — including homes, vehicles, watches and guns — with proceeds intended for the Sandy Hook families.