The Onion acquires Alex Jones’ Infowars with support from Sandy Hook families

LOS ANGELES - In a turn of events blending irony with accountability, "The Onion" won the rights to Alex Jones’ Infowars in a bankruptcy auction supported by the families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. 

These families, who have won over $1 billion in defamation judgments against Jones, backed "The Onion"’s bid to take over and transform Infowars from a conspiracy-driven platform to a satire site.

Infowars’ website went offline shortly after the sale’s announcement, and "The Onion" plans to relaunch it in January with parody content and educational material about gun safety, according to the Associated Press. "The dissolution of Alex Jones’ assets and the death of Infowars is the justice we have long awaited and fought for," said Robbie Parker, whose daughter Emilie was one of the victims in the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting.

What does The Onion plan for Infowars?

Ben Collins, CEO of "The Onion"’s parent company, Global Tetrahedron, stated that the relaunch will target misinformation by parodying conspiracy theories and offering factual content in collaboration with organizations like Everytown for Gun Safety. "The Sandy Hook families decided to back our bid because it meant they could end Jones’ platform for spreading lies and replace it with something humorous and educational," Collins told the AP.

In a satirical statement on the sale, "The Onion" wrote, "A formidable special interest group has outwitted the hapless owner of InfoWars and forced him to sell it at a steep bargain: less than one trillion dollars."

Alex Jones vows to challenge Infowars’ sale

Jones responded with anger on his live broadcast, calling the acquisition "an attack on free speech" and saying he intends to challenge the sale in court. Though he has lost control of Infowars’ primary assets, including its website and trademarks, Jones still retains his personal social media accounts, with the court set to determine whether those accounts may be auctioned as well.

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 14: In this photo illustration, The Onion website is displayed on a computer screen, showing a satirical story titled Here’s Why I Decided To Buy ‘InfoWars’, on November 14, 2024 in Pasadena, California. The satirical

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Sandy Hook families fight for accountability

Sandy Hook families took legal action against Jones after he repeatedly claimed the 2012 shooting that killed 20 children and six adults was a hoax. Though Jones has since admitted the tragedy was "100% real," many families continue to grapple with years of harassment and trauma resulting from his statements and influence.

Now, as part of the relaunch, the new Infowars website will feature educational materials provided by Everytown for Gun Safety, an organization dedicated to ending gun violence. John Feinblatt, president of Everytown, called the sale "poetic justice," adding that "this new chapter on Infowars will be devoted to safety and accountability."

Future of Infowars under The Onion’s leadership

"The Onion," known for its satirical takes on everything from politics to pop culture, says its version of Infowars will continue its mission to mock misinformation while educating audiences. "The Onion," which claims to have "4.3 trillion daily readers," has previously poked fun at Jones and his conspiracy theories, making it a fitting new owner for his former platform.

Source: This article includes information sourced from an Associated Press report and direct statements from "The Onion," as well as commentary from Sandy Hook families and gun safety advocates, specifically gathered from recent AP interviews.