Satirical website to make the conspiracy outlet into something 'very stupid'

Satirical website The Onion has bought the far-right website Infowars.

The new owners say they plan to turn the former hate factory into ‘a very stupid website’.

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was forced to sell the site after losing a £1.2billion lawsuit brought by the families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. He had claimed the killing of 26 people, 20 of them children. was a hoax in which no one really died.

The Onion’s CEO Ben Collins said: ‘The Onion is proud to acquire Infowars, and we look forward to continuing its storied tradition of scaring the site’s users with lies until they fork over their cold, hard cash.’

And his fictional counterpart, Bryce P. Tetraeder, explained why Infowars was becoming part of The Onion family in a satirical op-ed piece.

He wrote: ‘InfoWars has distinguished itself as an invaluable tool for brainwashing and controlling the masses. With a shrewd mix of delusional paranoia and dubious anti-aging nutrition hacks, they strive to make life both scarier and longer for everyone, a commendable goal. 

‘They are a true unicorn, capable of simultaneously inspiring public support for billionaires and stoking outrage at an inept federal state that can assassinate JFK but can’t even put a man on the Moon.

‘Through it all, InfoWars has shown an unswerving commitment to manufacturing anger and radicalizing the most vulnerable members of society—values that resonate deeply with all of us at Global Tetrahedron.

‘No price would be too high for such a cornucopia of malleable assets and minds. And yet, in a stroke of good fortune, a formidable special interest group has outwitted the hapless owner of InfoWars (a forgettable man with an already-forgotten name) and forced him to sell it at a steep bargain.’

Gun violence prevention group Everytown for Gun Safety will be the sole  advertiser on the relaunched Infowars.

In a statement on social media they said: ‘Today  @TheOnion

 won its bid to acquire Infowars, the notorious harbinger of disinformation, misinformation, and hate speech helmed by its founder, professional Internet troll, Alex Jones. 

‘Alex Jones has profited off the pain of Sandy Hook families, and his brand of hateful disinformation has seeped into mainstream American culture. 

‘ We're excited to join them as they turn the page on this toxic chapter of misinformation and begin the next chapter of InfoWars, turning it into a tool to combat disinformation and extremism through humor.

‘ Not only will this new venture staunch the flow of hurtful misinformation, but it also holds significant potential for us to reach new audiences in the fight for gun safety.’

The Onion said their the bid – the size of which has not been revealed – was secured with the backing of the Sandy Hook families.

Their attorney Chris Mattei said in a statement: ‘By divesting Jones of Infowars’ assets, the families and the team at The Onion have done a public service and will meaningfully hinder Jones’ ability to do more harm.'

In a message to Infowars’ 600,000 followers, he  called the takeover a ‘total attack on free speech - the deep state is completely out of control. The tyranny of the new world order desperate to silence the American people’. 

He filed for bankruptcy in late 2022, and has been liquidating his assets to help pay off his legal responsibilities.

Every time there is a gun massacre in the US, The Onion runs with the headline: '"No Way To Prevent This," Says the Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens,'

Published: 14 Nov 2024