The Onion, a well-known satirical publication, announced on Thursday that it has successfully won a bankruptcy auction to acquire Infowars, a controversial site known for its conspiracy theories and founded by Alex Jones. This acquisition comes with the backing of the families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims, who previously secured a substantial $1.4 billion defamation settlement against Jones and his business, Free Speech Systems, in 2022.
As part of this new venture, Everytown for Gun Safety—a nonprofit formed in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy aimed at combating gun violence—plans to advertise on the revamped site. The Onion is set to relaunch Infowars in January with a playful twist, transforming it into a satire that aims to expose and ridicule figures like Jones who propagate misinformation and dubious health products. Ben Collins, the CEO of The Onion’s parent company, Global Tetrahedron, shared insights regarding this creative direction.
This acquisition highlights a unique intersection of humor and social commentary, as it seeks to address serious issues surrounding misinformation in media while providing a platform for critical voices against gun violence. The move signals hope for a rejuvenated discourse around these topics, leveraging satire as a means of both entertainment and education.
Overall, this development presents an intriguing opportunity for The Onion to not only entertain but also advocate for change in an era defined by mounting concerns over misinformation and its societal impacts.