The Onion, known for its satirical take on news and culture, has acquired Infowars, the conspiracy-driven website founded by Alex Jones, following a bankruptcy auction. The deal was backed by the families of Sandy Hook victims, who won a $1.4 billion defamation lawsuit against Jones in 2022. The Onion’s relaunch of Infowars is set for January, and the site will parody Jones’s conspiratorial style while collaborating with Everytown for Gun Safety, which will advertise on the platform to raise awareness about gun violence.
Ben Collins, CEO of Global Tetrahedron, The Onion’s parent company, said the purchase aims to combat misinformation by creating a satirical version of Infowars, mocking “internet personalities” who promote conspiracies. “This is going to be our answer to this no-guardrails world,” Collins said, describing the platform as a tool to bring humor into serious discussions about misinformation.
The acquisition was approved as part of Jones’s bankruptcy proceedings, as his assets were sold to repay creditors, including the Sandy Hook families. Sandy Hook family attorney Chris Mattei stated, “Divesting Jones of Infowars is a public service and will meaningfully hinder his ability to do more harm.” The Onion plans to use the new Infowars as a Clickhole-style site, mixing satire with sponsored content from Everytown to highlight the urgent issue of gun violence in America.
