In a whimsical twist that sounds as though it’s been plucked from the pages of a satirical novel, the infamous Infowars platform, once a notorious bastion of outrageous conspiracy theories, has found a new curator: The Onion. The announcement arrived alongside headlines crafted in The Onion’s quintessentially dry humor, proclaiming the emergence of a dating site for those you once deemed beneath you, and a slapstick sibling rivalry playing out in the political arena. Yet, in the recesses of these satirical gems, a kernel of astonishing truth nestled.
The claim of The Onion’s ownership of Alex Jones’ beleaguered media empire initially seemed as incredulous as many of the conspiracies Jones himself peddled. However, the sale was indeed precipitated by the fallout from a series of defamation lawsuits brought forth by the families impacted by the 2012 Sandy Hook tragedy—a fact confirmed despite a later call for a hearing on the auction’s proceedings.
The Onion wasted no time in exercising its new-found authority, shuttering Infowars with intentions for a January relaunch, transforming it into a satirical nexus opposed to conspiratorial rhetoric. Ben Collins, the CEO of The Onion, poised the goal for Infowars to become “the funniest and dumbest website that exists,” a dramatic departure from its former status as merely the dumbest.
This acquisition, the sum of which remains shrouded in secrecy, drew the support of the Sandy Hook families who had successfully claimed nearly $1.5 billion from Jones over his spurious allegations. The reimagined Infowars promises to lampoon the very theories Jones so fervently advocated—concepts so bizarre and outlandish, they could pass for satire if not for their harrowing real-world repercussions.
Ben Collins, who is no stranger to the topic of misinformation, brings to the table past experience in covering it for NBC News. His leadership is a beacon of hope in actualizing The Onion’s vision to dismantle at least some segments of the vast, fear-mongering media constellation. Collins envisions a return to humor on the internet, a reprieve from the relentless doomscrolling that has typified recent years.
The Onion itself has weathered numerous changes since its inception as a newspaper in 1988, it’s most recent revitalization coming with its purchase by a group featuring Jeff Lawson, a co-founder of Twilio. The platform stands poised to echo the success of such cultural icons as Stephen Colbert—whose seminal work on “The Colbert Report” set a precedent for mock commentary targeting television punditry.
As the infamous Infowars awaits its rebirth, onlookers are left to wonder how its loyal audience might respond upon encountering The Onion’s reimagination. Dale Beran, director of Netflix’s “The Anti-Social Network,” opines that the audience overlap may be minimal; conspiracists and their satirists often orbit in distinctly separate spheres.
Even while one deceptive platform goes dark, the systemic issue of misinformation persists, leaving experts like Yotam Ophir, who helms the Media Effects, Misinformation, and Extremism Lab, to ponder Jones’ next move. Fan loyalty is likely to propel him towards new avenues for his vocalizations. Jones’ own rhetoric in response to the purchase teeters on the predictable, with cries of free speech violations and denunciations of deep-state machinations.
In an ironic serendipity, the acquisition by The Onion has infused a note of schadenfreude into the liberal psyche, especially among those spinning from recent political dynamics favoring conservative forces in Congress. For a moment, at least, the unapologetically progressive segment of the populace can indulge in the sweet taste of retribution, seeing a notorious figure’s downfall turned into a farce of cosmic proportion.
