Infowars#Bankruptcy and proposed acquisition

File:Alex Jones & Paul Joseph Watson (9072625782).jpg with Paul Joseph Watson in 2013]]

Infowars was created in 1999 by American conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.{{cite news |last=Relman |first=Eliza |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/alex-jones-bio-conspiracy-trump-megyn-kelly-2017-6 |title=How a public-access broadcaster from Austin, Texas, became a major conspiracy theorist and one of Trump's most vocal supporters |work=Business Insider |date=June 19, 2017 |access-date=January 17, 2018 |archive-date=February 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224043744/http://www.businessinsider.com/alex-jones-bio-conspiracy-trump-megyn-kelly-2017-6 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://companiestx.com/company/32034156953/free-speech-systems-llc |title=Free Speech Systems, Llc |website=companiestx.com |access-date=January 6, 2018 |archive-date=January 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107062805/https://companiestx.com/company/32034156953/free-speech-systems-llc |url-status=live }} Founded by Jones with his then-wife Kelly, it was originally a mail-order outlet for the conspiracy-oriented videos produced by the Joneses.{{cite news|last=Williamson|first=Elizabeth|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/07/us/politics/alex-jones-jan-6-trump.html|title=Alex Jones and Donald Trump: A Fateful Alliance Draws Scrutiny|work=The New York Times|date=March 7, 2022|access-date=April 19, 2022|archive-date=April 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220418043829/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/07/us/politics/alex-jones-jan-6-trump.html|url-status=live}} Infowars features The Alex Jones Show on their broadcasts and was established as a public-access television program aired in Austin, Texas in 1999.

During the 2016 presidential election, the website was promoted by bots connected to the Russian government.{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/fbi-investigating-right-wing-sites-role-campaign-hack-article-1.3004192|title=FBI investigating if right-wing sites had role in campaign hacks|work=Daily News|access-date=January 2, 2018|location=New York|language=en|archive-date=January 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103072528/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/fbi-investigating-right-wing-sites-role-campaign-hack-article-1.3004192|url-status=live}} A 2017 study by the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University found that Infowars was the 13th most shared source by supporters of Donald Trump on Twitter during the election.{{Cite news|last=Blake|first=Aaron|date=August 22, 2017|title=Analysis {{!}} Trump backers' alarming reliance on hoax and conspiracy theory websites, in 1 chart|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/08/22/trump-backers-disturbing-reliance-on-hoax-and-conspiracy-theory-websites-in-1-chart/|access-date=2021-10-10|issn=0190-8286}}{{cite book|last1=Faris|first1=Robert|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1048396744|title=Partisanship, Propaganda, and Disinformation: Online Media and the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election|last2=Roberts|first2=Hal|last3=Etling|first3=Bruce|date=August 8, 2017|publisher=Berkman Center for Internet & Society|pages=72|oclc=1048396744}}

In 2016, Paul Joseph Watson was hired as editor-at-large.{{cite news |title=The live-streamers who are challenging traditional journalism |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/12/11/the-live-streamers-who-are-challenging-traditional-journalism |publisher=The New Yorkers |date=December 11, 2017 |access-date=January 1, 2018 |archive-date=January 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108014201/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/12/11/the-live-streamers-who-are-challenging-traditional-journalism |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Top InfoWars editor criticizes Trump after anti-Muslim tweets |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/news/362288-top-infowars-editor-criticizes-trump-after-anti-muslim-tweets/ |work=The Hill |date=November 29, 2017 |access-date=January 1, 2018 |archive-date=January 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102021201/http://thehill.com/homenews/news/362288-top-infowars-editor-criticizes-trump-after-anti-muslim-tweets |url-status=live }} In February 2017, political commentator Jerome Corsi was hired as Washington bureau chief,{{cite news |title=The Conspiracy Bureau: Alex Jones Teams Up With Jerome Corsi for White House Coverage |url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2017/02/02/conspiracy-bureau-alex-jones-teams-jerome-corsi-white-house-coverage |publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center |date=February 2, 2017 |access-date=December 31, 2017 |archive-date=January 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101030220/https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2017/02/02/conspiracy-bureau-alex-jones-teams-jerome-corsi-white-house-coverage |url-status=live }} after Infowars was granted a White House day pass.{{cite web |title=Conspiracy outlet InfoWars was granted temporary White House press credentials |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/infowars-granted-white-house-press-credentials-2017-5 |website=Business Insider |date=May 22, 2017 |access-date=December 31, 2017 |archive-date=January 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117224243/http://uk.businessinsider.com/infowars-granted-white-house-press-credentials-2017-5 |url-status=live }} In June 2018, Corsi's connection to Infowars ended; he received six months of severance payments.{{cite news|last1=Roig-Franzia|first1=Manuel|last2=Helderman|first2=Rosalind S.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/witness-in-special-counsel-probe-former-stone-associate-collected-payments-from-infowars-through-job-stone-arranged/2019/01/24/4dfa4300-1e57-11e9-9145-3f74070bbdb9_story.html|title=Witness in special counsel probe, former Stone associate, collected payments from Infowars through job Stone arranged|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=January 24, 2019|access-date=August 17, 2019|archive-date=July 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730082326/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/witness-in-special-counsel-probe-former-stone-associate-collected-payments-from-infowars-through-job-stone-arranged/2019/01/24/4dfa4300-1e57-11e9-9145-3f74070bbdb9_story.html|url-status=live}}

In May 2017, Mike Cernovich joined the Infowars team as a scheduled guest host for The Alex Jones Show,{{cite news|title=Mike Cernovich, conspiracy theorist praised by Trump Jr., lands InfoWars gig with Alex Jones|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/4/mike-cernovich-conspiracy-theorist-praised-by-trum/|work=The Washington Times|date=May 4, 2017|access-date=January 2, 2018|archive-date=January 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103011715/https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/4/mike-cernovich-conspiracy-theorist-praised-by-trum/|url-status=live}} with CNN reporting the "elevation to Infowars host represents the meteoric rise in his profile".{{cite news|title=Right-wing troll Mike Cernovich goes professional with new hosting gig at InfoWars|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/03/media/mike-cernovich-infowars-alex-jones/index.html|publisher=CNN|date=May 3, 2017|access-date=August 3, 2020|archive-date=May 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170507021733/http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/03/media/mike-cernovich-infowars-alex-jones/index.html|url-status=live}} On July 6, 2017, alongside Paul Joseph Watson, Jones began hosting a contest to create the best "CNN Meme", for which the winner would receive $20,000. They were responding to CNN reporting on a Reddit user who had created a pro-Trump, anti-CNN meme.{{cite news|last1=Holt|first1=Jared|title=From meme wars to death threats: How far-right internet culture turns into political action|url=https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2017/07/07/meme-wars-death-threats-how-far-right-internet-culture-turns-political-action/217173|access-date=July 8, 2017|work=Media Matters for America|date=July 7, 2017|language=en|archive-date=July 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707234713/https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2017/07/07/meme-wars-death-threats-how-far-right-internet-culture-turns-political-action/217173|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Fearnow|first1=Benjamin|title=#CNNBlackmail, Trump Trolls: Barrage Of Negative Reviews Tank CNN App Ratings|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/cnnblackmail-trump-trolls-barrage-negative-reviews-tank-cnn-app-ratings-2562169|access-date=July 8, 2017|work=International Business Times|date=July 6, 2017|archive-date=July 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709055634/http://www.ibtimes.com/cnnblackmail-trump-trolls-barrage-negative-reviews-tank-cnn-app-ratings-2562169|url-status=live}}

In June 2017, it was announced that Roger Stone, a former campaign advisor for Donald Trump, would be hosting his own Infowars show "five nights a week", with an extra studio being built to accommodate his show.

In March 2018, a number of major brands in the U.S. suspended their ads from Infowars{{'}}s YouTube channels, after CNN notified them that their ads were running adjacent to Infowars content.{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/03/technology/youtube-ads-infowars-alex-jones/index.html|title=Advertisers flee InfoWars founder Alex Jones' YouTube channel|author1=Paul P. Murphy|author2=Gianluca Mezzofiore|date=March 3, 2018|website=Money.cnn.com|access-date=March 4, 2018|archive-date=March 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303232148/http://money.cnn.com/2018/03/03/technology/youtube-ads-infowars-alex-jones/index.html|url-status=live}}

In July 2018, YouTube removed four of Infowars{{'}}s uploaded videos that violated its policy against hate speech and suspended posts for 90 days. Facebook also banned Jones after it determined four videos on his pages violated its community standards in July 2018. In August 2018, YouTube, Apple and Facebook removed content from Jones and Infowars, citing their policies against hate speech and harassment.

In an October 2018 Simmons Research survey of 38 news organizations, Infowars was ranked the second least trusted news organization by Americans, with The Daily Caller being lower-ranked.{{Cite web|last=Benton|first=Joshua|author-link=Joshua Benton|date=October 5, 2018|title=Here's how much Americans trust 38 major news organizations (hint: not all that much!)|url=https://www.niemanlab.org/2018/10/heres-how-much-americans-trust-38-major-news-organizations-hint-not-all-that-much/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208001945/https://www.niemanlab.org/2018/10/heres-how-much-americans-trust-38-major-news-organizations-hint-not-all-that-much/|archive-date=December 8, 2020|access-date=August 10, 2021|website=Nieman Lab}}

On March 12, 2020, Attorney General of New York Letitia James issued a cease and desist letter to Jones concerning Infowars{{'}}s sale of unapproved products that the website falsely asserted to be government-approved treatments for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).{{cite web|first1=Noah|last1=Higgins-Dunn|access-date=April 22, 2020|title=NY attorney general orders InfoWars' Alex Jones to stop selling coronavirus 'treatment' products|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/12/ny-attorney-general-orders-alex-jones-to-stop-selling-coronavirus-cures.html|date=March 12, 2020|website=CNBC|archive-date=April 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417101223/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/12/ny-attorney-general-orders-alex-jones-to-stop-selling-coronavirus-cures.html|url-status=live}} On April 9, the FDA ordered Infowars to discontinue the sale of a number of products marketed as remedies for COVID-19 in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, including toothpaste, liquids, and gels containing colloidal silver.{{cite web|first=Leah|last=Rosenbaum|access-date=April 22, 2020|title=InfoWars Founder Alex Jones Must Stop Selling Fake Coronavirus Silver Cures, FDA Says|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/leahrosenbaum/2020/04/09/infowars-founder-alex-jones-must-stop-selling-fake-coronavirus-silver-cures-fda-says/|website=Forbes|archive-date=April 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200428135718/https://www.forbes.com/sites/leahrosenbaum/2020/04/09/infowars-founder-alex-jones-must-stop-selling-fake-coronavirus-silver-cures-fda-says/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|author=Center for Drug Evaluation and Research|access-date=April 22, 2020|title=Free Speech Systems LLC d.b.a. Infowars.com – 605802 – 04/09/2020|url=https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/free-speech-systems-llc-dba-infowarscom-605802-04092020|date=April 9, 2020|website=Food and Drug Administration|archive-date=April 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422003046/https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/free-speech-systems-llc-dba-infowarscom-605802-04092020|url-status=live}}

In 2017, Haaretz reported that Infowars had accused Israel of involvement in the 9/11 attacks, accused the Rothschilds of promoting "endless war, debt slavery and a Luciferian agenda", and claimed that U.S. healthcare was under the control of a "Jewish mafia".{{cite news|last=Griffing|first=Alexander|url=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/remember-when-donald-trump-appeared-on-alex-jones-infowars-1.5443723|title=Remember When Donald Trump Appeared on Alex Jones' 'InfoWars'|work=Haaretz|date=August 6, 2018|orig-year=March 1, 2017|access-date=April 20, 2022}}

In February 2018, Jones was accused by two former employees of antisemitism, anti-black racism and sexual harassment of both male and female staff members. He denied the allegations.{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/alex-jones-infowars-employees-complaint-about-sexual-harassment-2018-2|title=Former Infowars staffers filed a formal complaint against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones alleging anti-Semitism, racism, and sexual misconduct|work=Business Insider|access-date=March 1, 2018|archive-date=March 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301041207/http://www.businessinsider.com/alex-jones-infowars-employees-complaint-about-sexual-harassment-2018-2|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/alex-jones-accused-of-sexual-harassment-bullying-at-infowars|title=Alex Jones Accused of Sexual Harassment, Bullying at InfoWars|date=February 28, 2018|website=The Daily Beast|language=en|access-date=March 1, 2018|archive-date=February 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228235908/https://www.thedailybeast.com/alex-jones-accused-of-sexual-harassment-bullying-at-infowars|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Jackman|first1=Josh|title=Alex Jones 'groomed staff for homosexual sex,' lawsuit alleges|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/03/01/alex-jones-groomed-staff-for-homosexual-sex-lawsuit-alleges/|access-date=March 11, 2018|work=Pink News|date=March 1, 2018|archive-date=March 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180311140902/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/03/01/alex-jones-groomed-staff-for-homosexual-sex-lawsuit-alleges/|url-status=live}}

Two former employees filed complaints against Jones with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.{{Cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/alex-jones-accused-sexual-harassment-racism-anti-semitism-article-1.3848193|title=Alex Jones accused of sexual harassment, racism and anti-Semitism|work=NY Daily News|access-date=March 26, 2018|language=en|archive-date=March 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084341/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/alex-jones-accused-sexual-harassment-racism-anti-semitism-article-1.3848193|url-status=live}}

On July 27, 2018, Facebook suspended Alex Jones's official page for thirty days, claiming Jones had participated in hate speech against Robert Mueller.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/27/facebook-suspends-us-conspiracy-theorist-alex-jones|title=Facebook suspends US conspiracy theorist Alex Jones|website=TheGuardian.com|date=July 27, 2018|access-date=July 27, 2018|archive-date=July 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727223532/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/27/facebook-suspends-us-conspiracy-theorist-alex-jones|url-status=live}} This was swiftly followed by action from other bodies—on August 6, Facebook, Apple, YouTube and Spotify all removed content by Alex Jones and Infowars from their platforms for violating their policies. YouTube removed channels associated with Infowars, including The Alex Jones Channel, which had gained 2.4 million subscriptions prior to its removal.{{cite news |date=August 14, 2018 |title=Facebook, Apple, YouTube and Spotify ban Infowars' Alex Jones |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/aug/06/apple-removes-podcasts-infowars-alex-jones |work=The Guardian |access-date=August 14, 2018 |archive-date=August 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813204732/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/aug/06/apple-removes-podcasts-infowars-alex-jones |url-status=live }} On Facebook, four pages associated with Infowars and Alex Jones were removed due to repeated violations of the website's policies. Apple removed all podcasts associated with Jones from its iTunes platform and its podcast app. On August 13, Vimeo removed all Jones's videos because they "violated our terms of service prohibitions on discriminatory and hateful content".{{cite news |last=Zhao |first=Christina |date=August 14, 2018 |title=Vimeo Removes Alex Jones's InfoWars Content: 'Discriminatory and Hateful' |url=https://www.newsweek.com/vimeo-removes-alex-jones-infowars-profit-discriminatory-hateful-1070036 |work=Newsweek |access-date=August 14, 2018 |archive-date=August 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813130416/https://www.newsweek.com/vimeo-removes-alex-jones-infowars-profit-discriminatory-hateful-1070036 |url-status=live }} By February 2019, a total of 89 pages associated with Infowars or Alex Jones had been removed from Facebook due to its recidivism policy, which is designed to prevent circumventing a ban.Darcy, Oliver (February 5, 2019) [https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/05/media/facebook-alex-jones-infowars-pages/index.html "Facebook removes 22 more pages connected to conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and InfoWars"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190206145111/https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/05/media/facebook-alex-jones-infowars-pages/index.html|date=February 6, 2019}} CNN Business In May 2019, President Donald Trump tweeted or retweeted defenses of people associated with Infowars, including editor Paul Joseph Watson and host Alex Jones, after the Facebook ban.{{cite news|last=Beckett|first=Lois|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/04/trump-facebook-far-right-bans-support-twitter|title=Trump tweets support for far-right figures banned by Facebook|work=The Guardian|date=May 5, 2019|access-date=August 17, 2019|archive-date=August 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805211839/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/04/trump-facebook-far-right-bans-support-twitter|url-status=live}}

Jones's accounts have also been removed from Pinterest,{{cite news |last=Morse |first=Jack |date=August 6, 2018 |title=InfoWars{{'}} Pinterest page goes offline after Mashable inquiry |url=https://mashable.com/2018/08/06/infowars-pinterest-site-offline/ |work=Mashable |access-date=August 14, 2018 |archive-date=August 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813235920/https://mashable.com/2018/08/06/infowars-pinterest-site-offline/ |url-status=live }} Mailchimp,{{cite news |last=Lomas |first=Natasha |date=August 7, 2018 |title=MailChimp bans Alex Jones for hateful conduct |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/07/mailchimp-bans-alex-jones-for-hateful-conduct/ |work=Techcrunch |access-date=August 14, 2018 |archive-date=August 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813234124/https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/07/mailchimp-bans-alex-jones-for-hateful-conduct/ |url-status=live }} LinkedIn,{{cite news |last=Zhou |first=Marrian |date=August 7, 2018 |title=Alex Jones' Infowars removed from LinkedIn and MailChimp |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/alex-jones-infowars-removed-linkedin-pinterest-still-up-on-instagram-twitter/ |work=CNET |access-date=August 14, 2018 |archive-date=August 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813235341/https://www.cnet.com/news/alex-jones-infowars-removed-linkedin-pinterest-still-up-on-instagram-twitter/ |url-status=live }} and Instagram.{{Cite web |last1=Cappetta |first1=Michael |last2=Collins |first2=Ben |date=2019-05-02 |title=Alex Jones, Louis Farrakhan, others banned from Facebook and Instagram |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/facebook-bans-alex-jones-louis-farrakhan-others-facebook-instagram-n1001311 |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=NBC News |language=en}} The Wikipedia community deprecated and blacklisted Infowars as a source by snowball clause consensus in 2018, determining that Infowars is a "conspiracy theorist and fake news website".{{cite web|access-date=June 29, 2020|title=Wikipedia Bans Right Wing Site Breitbart as a Source for Facts|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/wikipedia-banned-breitbart-infowars/|website=Vice|first=Samantha|last=Cole|date=October 2, 2018|archive-date=June 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630124424/https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pa9qvv/wikipedia-banned-breitbart-infowars|url-status=live}}

Beginning in September 2018, Jones and Infowars were both suspended from Twitter and Periscope, a Twitter subsidiary. This followed Jones tweeting a Periscope video calling on others "to get their battle rifles ready against antifa, the mainstream media, and Chicom operatives".{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/alex-jones-twitter-ban-infowars/|title=Alex Jones responds to his Twitter ban by posting a 13-minute video to Twitter|publisher=Vice News|date=August 15, 2018|access-date=August 15, 2018|archive-date=August 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815200613/https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/5944zn/alex-jones-twitter-ban-infowars|url-status=live}} In the video he also stated, "Now is time to act on the enemy before they do a false flag." Twitter cited this as the reason to suspend his account for a week on August 14.{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/08/14/media/twitter-alex-jones/index.html|title=Twitter suspends conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for one week|website=CNN Money|date=August 15, 2018|access-date=August 15, 2018|archive-date=August 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815140243/https://money.cnn.com/2018/08/14/media/twitter-alex-jones/index.html|url-status=live}} On September 6, Twitter permanently banned Infowars and temporarily banned Alex Jones for repeated violations of the site's terms and conditions. Twitter cited abusive behavior, namely a video that "shows Jones shouting at and berating CNN journalist Oliver Darcy for some 10 minutes during congressional hearings about social media." Jones's ban from the platform was overturned by Elon Musk in December 2023, after the latter's acquisition of the site and subsequent rebranding as X.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-10 |title=Elon Musk restores conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' X account, reversing Twitter's ban |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/elon-musk-restores-conspiracy-theorist-alex-jones-x-account-reversing-twitters-ban |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=PBS NewsHour |language=en-us}}

On September 7, 2018, the Infowars app was removed from the Apple App Store.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-infowars/apple-inc-bans-alex-jones-app-for-objectionable-content-idUSKCN1LO04G|title=Apple Inc bans Alex Jones app for 'objectionable content'|last=Whitcomb|first=Dan|work=Reuters|date=September 8, 2018|access-date=September 8, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=July 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723032211/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-infowars/apple-inc-bans-alex-jones-app-for-objectionable-content-idUSKCN1LO04G|url-status=live}} On September 20, 2018, PayPal informed Infowars they would cease processing payments in ten days because "promotion of hate and discrimination runs counter to our core value of inclusion."{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/21/technology/paypal-blocks-infowars.html|title=PayPal Cuts Off Alex Jones's Infowars, Joining Other Tech Giants|last=Popper|first=Nathaniel|work=The New York Times|date=September 21, 2018|access-date=September 26, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=September 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926094020/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/21/technology/paypal-blocks-infowars.html|url-status=live}} On May 2, 2019, Facebook and Instagram banned Jones and Infowars as part of a larger ban of far-right extremists. The ban covered videos, audio clips, and articles from Infowars, but excluded criticism of Infowars. Facebook indicated it would take down groups that violated the ban.{{cite news|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/05/instagram-and-facebook-ban-far-right-extremists/588607/|title=Instagram and Facebook Ban Far-Right Extremists|author1=Taylor Lorenz|author-link1=Taylor Lorenz|publisher=The Atlantic|date=May 2, 2019|access-date=April 21, 2020|archive-date=May 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503004014/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/05/instagram-and-facebook-ban-far-right-extremists/588607/|url-status=live}} The Infowars app was pulled from Google Play on March 27, 2020, for violating its policies on spreading "misleading or harmful disinformation", after Jones opposed efforts to contain COVID-19 and said "natural antivirals" could treat the disease.{{cite magazine |last=Newman |first=Lily Hay |url=https://www.wired.com/story/google-bans-infowars-android-app-alex-jones-coronavirus/ |title=Google Bans Infowars Android App Over Coronavirus Claims |magazine=Wired |date=March 27, 2020 |access-date=March 29, 2020 |archive-date=March 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328102518/https://www.wired.com/story/google-bans-infowars-android-app-alex-jones-coronavirus/ |url-status=live }}

In March 2023, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported on Jones's leaked texts from his Sandy Hook defamation trial. The texts revealed that Jones and his collaborators had been trying to evade social media bans of Infowars content by setting up alternate websites such as National File to disguise its origin.{{Cite web |last1=Squire |first1=Megan |last2=Hayden |first2=Michael Edison |date=March 8, 2023 |title='Absolutely Bonkers': Inside Infowars' Money Machine |url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2023/03/08/absolutely-bonkers-inside-infowars-money-machine |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=Southern Poverty Law Center |language=en |quote=Jones' text messages suggest Jones and his collaborators sought to launder his Infowars content to social media sites that had banned it, while disguising its true origin. For example, the texts reveal that Jones created the junk-news website National File.}}{{Cite web |last=Barr |first=Kyle |date=2023-03-17 |title=Alex Jones' Alleged Secret Site Gets Around Social Media Bans |url=https://gizmodo.com/alex-jones-infowars-national-file-facebook-twitter-1850238082 |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=Gizmodo |language=en |quote=In leaked texts shared earlier this month by the Southern Poverty Law Center between him and well-known Republican operative Roger Stone in 2020, Jones said "off record this is my site" in relation to National File.}}

In April 2022, it became known the company behind Infowars had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, as had Infowars Health (or IWHealth), against further civil litigation lawsuits.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alex-jones-infowars-bankruptcy-filing-sandy-hook-massacre/|title=Alex Jones' Infowars files for bankruptcy in wake of defamation suits over his assertions that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax|website=CBS News|date=April 18, 2022|access-date=April 18, 2022}} The court filings estimated InfoWars assets at between $0–$50,000, but its liabilities (including from the damages awarded against Jones in defamation suits) was estimated as being between $1 million to $10 million.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/alex-jones-infowars-files-bankruptcy-us-court-2022-04-18/|title=Alex Jones' InfoWars files for bankruptcy in U.S. court|website=Reuters|date=April 18, 2022|access-date=April 18, 2022}}

On June 23, 2024, Jones's court-appointed bankruptcy trustee Christopher Murray filed an "emergency" motion in a Houston court indicating his intention to shut down Infowars.{{Cite web |last=Visser |first=Nick |date=2024-06-24 |title=Alex Jones' Bankruptcy Trustee Plans To Shutter Infowars And 'Liquidate Its Inventory' |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/alex-jones-inforwars-liquidate-trustee_n_6679fdeee4b0604360affd9c |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=HuffPost |language=en}} According to the motion, Murray made plans to "conduct an orderly wind-down" of the operations of Free Speech Systems, Infowars{{'}}s parent company, and also "liquidate its inventory", but he did not announce a timetable; on his radio show, Jones had said that he expects Infowars to operate for a few more months, or to be sold to another party that may retain him as an employee.{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/alex-jones-infowars-bankruptcy-sandy-hook-e8bf9a3d11b9506abb18c285d3e7b138|title=Bankruptcy trustee discloses plan to shut down Alex Jones' Infowars and liquidate assets|publisher=Associated Press|first=Dave|last=Collins|date=June 24, 2024|accessdate=June 26, 2024}} Murray also asked the bankruptcy court to put a hold on the Sandy Hook families' attempts to collect their settlements from Jones, saying that their efforts would interfere with the liquidation; much of its proceeds would ultimately go to the families, Murray said. On September 24, bankruptcy judge Christopher Lopez approved the liquidation of Infowars{{'}}s and Free Speech Systems's assets. Auctions would be held on November 13 and December 10; no limits were to be imposed on who may bid for the company's intellectual property and other assets.{{Cite web |date=September 25, 2024 |title=Judge to approve auctions liquidating Alex Jones' Infowars to help pay Sandy Hook families |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/auctions-liquidating-alex-jones-infowars-sandy-hook-rcna172586 |access-date=September 25, 2024 |website=NBC News |language=en}}{{cite news |last=Williamson |first=Elizabeth |date=September 25, 2024 |access-date=September 25, 2024 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/24/us/politics/alex-jones-infowars-auction.html?unlocked_article_code=1.NU4.jd8O._Cjr1lVbe7wu&smid=url-share |title=Alex Jones's Infowars Will Be Auctioned Off to Pay Sandy Hook Families |work=The New York Times |location=New York City |url-access=limited}}{{Cite web|url=https://360assetadvisors.com/events/fssmh/|url-status=deviated|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241008151215/https://360assetadvisors.com/events/fssmh/|title=Auction – By Order of the US Bankruptcy Court in the matter of Alexander E. JonesFree Speech Systems Media Holdings dba Infowars|archive-date=8 October 2024|publisher=Three \Sixty Asset Advisors}}

File:InfoWars Onion GT Company.png

File:InfoWars down.png

On November 14, Global Tetrahedron—publisher of the satirical newspaper The Onion—announced that it had bought Infowars{{'}}s intellectual property assets in the auction, with the site afterwards shut down, to be relaunched in January 2025 as a satire written by Onion staff. CEO Ben Collins stated that the new site would be "very funny" and "very stupid", and cited Bluesky users who suggested that it would be funny for The Onion to acquire Infowars. Global Tetrahedron had offered $1.75 million in cash, plus credit from families of the Sandy Hook shootings who had "agreed to forgo a portion of their recovery to increase the overall value", which it claimed brought its bid close to $7 million. The gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety was to have an "exclusive" advertising deal upon the relaunch. Jones responded to the sale in a live stream on X (formerly Twitter), stating that it was "a distinct honor to be here in defiance of the tyrants", and that "I don't know what's going to happen, but I'm going to be here until they come in there and turn the lights off. I'm going to say, 'where's your court order?'"

• {{Cite news |last=Betts |first=Anna |date=2024-11-14 |title=The Onion buys rightwing conspiracy theory site Infowars with plans to make it 'very funny, very stupid' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/nov/14/onion-info-wars-alex-jones |access-date=2024-11-14 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}
• {{cite news |last1=Zadrozny |first1=Brandy |author-link1=Brandy Zadrozny |last2=Ortiz |first2=Erik |date=14 November 2024 |title=The Onion wins Alex Jones' Infowars in bankruptcy auction |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/onion-wins-alex-jones-infowars-bankruptcy-auction-rcna179936 |access-date=14 November 2024 |work=NBC News |language=en}}
• {{Cite web |last=Gold |first=Hadas |author-link=Hadas Gold |date=2024-11-14 |title=The Onion has won the bid for Infowars' assets |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/14/business/onion-alex-jones-infowars-auction/index.html |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Gold |first=Hadas |date=2024-11-19 |title=Alex Jones and his allies are desperately trying to stop the sale of Infowars to The Onion |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/19/media/alex-jones-infowars-onion-auction-lawsuit/index.html |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=CNN |language=en |quote=...The Onion, according to a copy of its bid filed as evidence by Jones, said their bid should be valued at closer to $7 million considering the families' credit.}}

Hours after Global Tetrahedron's announcement, Jones's lawyers said that the auction had been conducted improperly, and Judge Lopez put a hold on the sale pending a hearing to be held the following week.{{cite news |last=Mullin |first=Benjamin |date=November 14, 2024 |title=The Onion Says It Has Bought Infowars, Alex Jones' Site, Out of Bankruptcy |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/14/business/media/alex-jones-infowars-the-onion.html |accessdate=November 14, 2024 |work=The New York Times}}{{cite web|last=Collins |first=Dave |title=What happens next in The Onion's effort to buy Alex Jones' Infowars |url=https://apnews.com/article/alex-jones-infowars-auction-onion-how-d42e7b2c916205b348628686c8b8dd4a |publisher=Associated Press |website=apnews.com |access-date=November 15, 2024 |date=November 15, 2024}} Murray also received a $3.5 million cash offer from Jones-affiliated First United American Companies; although its cash value was less, the Global Tetrahedron offer was better for Jones's other creditors because Sandy Hook families would partially forgo payments, but this made the offer difficult to precisely valuate.{{cite web |last=Zimmerman |first=David |date=November 16, 2024 |access-date=November 16, 2024 |title=Judge Blocks The Onion Bid for Alex Jones's InfoWars to Review Bankruptcy Auction |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/news/judge-blocks-the-onions-bid-for-alex-joness-infowars-to-review-bankruptcy-auction/ |url-access=limited |website=nationalreview.com |publisher=National Review |quote="Infowars sale to the Onion never happened," Jones posted on X on Saturday. "I am back broadcasting from the Infowars studios... This is a huge scandal! MSM is still falsely reporting that the Onion is the new owner."}} Full terms of the offer were not publicly disclosed. Jones's lawyers said that Murray acted improperly in accepting the offer, saying that the two offers were difficult to directly compare. Additionally, Lopez indicated that he had expected bidders to be able to counterbid, although his September order gave Murray the authority to conduct a sealed-bid auction at Murray's sole discretion. Jones's lawyers said that Murray had scheduled a public bid period but abruptly canceled it after the initial sealed bids had been submitted.

The original website was restored on the morning of November 15 by Jones, who told viewers that Murray had improperly shut it down before the sale was finalized, and posted on X the next day that the sale "never happened". On November 18, Jones sued Murray and some Sandy Hook families, accusing them of colluding to arrange the acceptance of a "flagrantly non-compliant Frankenstein bid" and asking the judge to halt the sale.{{Cite web |last=Gold |first=Hadas |date=2024-11-19 |title=Alex Jones and his allies are desperately trying to stop the sale of Infowars to The Onion |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/19/media/alex-jones-infowars-onion-auction-lawsuit/index.html |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=CNN |language=en |quote=In a lawsuit filed Monday in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, Jones claimed trustee Christopher Murray and the families "colluded" for a "flagrantly non-compliant Frankenstein bid" and asked a judge to halt the sale. }} Lopez rejected the sale on December 10,{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/business/media/the-onion-infowars-alex-jones.html |title=Judge Rejects Sale of Infowars to The Onion|website=The New York Times |date=December 11, 2024 |last1=Mullin |first1=Benjamin |last2=Williamson |first2=Elizabeth }} ruling that an auction did not result in the best bids possible, but rejecting Jones's claims of "collusion" in the auction.{{cite news |last1=Hoskins |first1=Peter |title=The Onion's purchase of Alex Jones's Infowars rejected by judge |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20w1qnewjjo |access-date=11 December 2024 |work=BBC News |date=11 December 2024}}

On February 5, 2025, Judge Christopher Lopez ruled that Infowars assets could no longer be auctioned off as Infowars{{'}}s parent company, Free Speech Systems, was no longer in bankruptcy. He allowed only for the sale of Jones's ownership stake in FSS.{{cite web | last=Smith | first=Tovia | title=Judge denies Sandy Hook families' deal for a new auction of Alex Jones' Infowars | website=NPR | date=2025-02-05 | url=https://www.npr.org/2025/02/05/g-s1-46738/infowars-alex-jones-onion-bankruptcy-judge-sandy-hook | access-date=2025-04-23}}

Infowars disseminated multiple conspiracy theories, including false claims against the HPV vaccine{{cite web |url=https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/4/6/15160486/alex-jones-vaccines-autism-gates-fungus-health-conspiracy-theories |title=I watched Alex Jones give his viewers health advice. Here's what I learned. |website=Vox.com |date=April 6, 2017 |access-date=December 28, 2017 |archive-date=January 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105230636/https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/4/6/15160486/alex-jones-vaccines-autism-gates-fungus-health-conspiracy-theories |url-status=live }} and claims the 2017 Las Vegas shooting was part of a conspiracy.{{cite news |last1=Hayden |first1=Michael Edison |title=Alt-right conspiracy theories blame Antifa for the mass shooting in Las Vegas |url=http://www.newsweek.com/alt-right-conspiracy-theories-blame-antifa-mass-shooting-las-vegas-677075 |access-date=February 9, 2018 |work=Newsweek |date=October 3, 2017 |language=en |archive-date=October 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005120840/http://www.newsweek.com/alt-right-conspiracy-theories-blame-antifa-mass-shooting-las-vegas-677075 |url-status=live }} In 2015, skeptic Brian Dunning listed it at #4 on a "Top 10 Worst Anti-Science Websites" list.{{Skeptoid|id=4495|number=495|title= Updated: Top 10 Worst Anti-Science Websites |access-date=October 23, 2020|date=November 8, 2011|quote=4. InfoWars.com (mixes tired conspiracy theories with racism, anti-Semitism, and profound distrust of scientific discovery.)}}

Infowars advocated New World Order conspiracy theories, 9/11 conspiracy theories, the chemtrail conspiracy theory, conspiracy theories involving Bill Gates, supposed covert government weather control programs, claims of rampant domestic false flag operations by the US Government (including 9/11), and the unsupported claim that millions voted illegally in the 2016 US presidential election.{{Cite news |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/lists/alex-jones-mis-infowars-7-bat-sht-conspiracy-theories-w467509/former-fox-news-host-glenn-beck-is-a-cia-operative-w468041 |title=Alex Jones' Mis-Infowars: 7 Bat-Shit Conspiracy Theories |access-date=December 30, 2017 |archive-date=December 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230225842/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/lists/alex-jones-mis-infowars-7-bat-sht-conspiracy-theories-w467509/former-fox-news-host-glenn-beck-is-a-cia-operative-w468041 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/who-alex-jones-his-top-five-conspiracy-theories-ahead-nbc-megyn-kelly-626633 |title=Alex Jones says 9/11, the Sandy Hook shooting and the Boston Marathon bombing were "false flag" operations |date=June 16, 2017 |work=Newsweek |access-date=December 30, 2017 |language=en |archive-date=December 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172403/http://www.newsweek.com/who-alex-jones-his-top-five-conspiracy-theories-ahead-nbc-megyn-kelly-626633 |url-status=live }} Jones frequently used Infowars to assert that mass shootings are conspiracies or "false flag" operations; these false claims are often subsequently spread by other fake news outlets and on social media.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/09/business/media/las-vegas-massacre-infowars-conspiracy.html |title=Las Vegas Massacre Gives InfoWars More Conspiracy Fodder |last=Grynbaum |first=Michael M. |date=October 9, 2017 |work=The New York Times |access-date=December 30, 2017 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180214191248/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/09/business/media/las-vegas-massacre-infowars-conspiracy.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/donald-trump-and-the-amazing-alex-jones |title=Donald Trump and the "Amazing" Alex Jones |last=Finnegan |first=William |author-link=William Finnegan |date=June 23, 2016 |magazine=The New Yorker |access-date=December 30, 2017 |issn=0028-792X |archive-date=December 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229102831/https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/donald-trump-and-the-amazing-alex-jones |url-status=live }} This has been characterized as Second Amendment "fan fiction".{{Cite news |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2014-03-12/no-armed-protests-are-not-normal-in-austin/ |title=No, Armed Protests Are Not Normal in Austin |access-date=December 30, 2017 |language=en-US |archive-date=December 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172312/https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2014-03-12/no-armed-protests-are-not-normal-in-austin/ |url-status=live }}

Infowars has published and promoted fake news,{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/dont-get-fooled-by-these-fake-news-sites/4/ |title=Don't get fooled by these fake news sites |website=CBS News |date=February 10, 2017 |access-date=January 2, 2018 |archive-date=March 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304061636/https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/dont-get-fooled-by-these-fake-news-sites/4/ |url-status=live }} and Jones has been accused of knowingly misleading people to make money.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/18/fake-news-not-just-alex-jones-trial-custody-case/ |title=Fake news itself, not just Alex Jones, is on trial in his custody case |first=Rob |last=Crilly |author-link=Rob Crilly |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=April 18, 2017 |via=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=April 6, 2018 |archive-date=April 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413134806/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/18/fake-news-not-just-alex-jones-trial-custody-case/ |url-status=live }} In the summer of 2015, video editor Josh Owens and reporter Joe Biggs took a video of workers loading cargo in Texas. They claimed the men were drug smugglers; the Drudge Report picked up their headline, and Donald Trump used it in a campaign speech. Owens admitted years later: "It's not about truth, it's not about accuracy—it's about what's going to make people click on this video... In essence, we lied." (Biggs was later indicted for seditious conspiracy for his role with the Proud Boys in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.){{Cite web |last1=Kuznia |first1=Rob |last2=Devine |first2=Curt |last3=Black |first3=Nelli |date=June 2022 |title=The Alex Jones-ification of the GOP |url=https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2022/06/politics/alex-jones-infowars-fringe-to-frontlinechapter-02.html |access-date=2022-06-13 |website=www.cnn.com}} As part of the probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, Infowars was investigated to see if it was complicit in the dissemination of fake news stories distributed by Russian bots.{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/fbi-breitbart-investigate-alt-right-wing-websites-fake-news-bots-donald-trump-a7641826.html |title=The FBI are 'investigating the role of Breitbart in spreading fake news with bots' |website=Independent.co.uk |date=March 21, 2017 |access-date=January 29, 2018 |archive-date=February 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180222165508/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/fbi-breitbart-investigate-alt-right-wing-websites-fake-news-bots-donald-trump-a7641826.html |url-status=live }}

From May 2014 to November 2017, Infowars republished articles from multiple sources without permission, including over 1,000 from Russian state-sponsored news network RT, as well as stories from news outlets such as CNN, the BBC, and The New York Times which Salon said were "dwarfed" by those from RT.{{cite web |last=Lytvynenko |first=Jane |title=InfoWars Has Republished More Than 1,000 Articles From RT Without Permission |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/janelytvynenko/infowars-is-running-rt-content/ |publisher=BuzzFeed News |date=November 8, 2017 |access-date=December 31, 2017 |archive-date=January 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101062636/https://www.buzzfeed.com/janelytvynenko/infowars-is-running-rt-content |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Link |first1=Taylor |title=Infowars peddled stories from a Russian propaganda outlet for years |url=https://www.salon.com/2017/11/09/infowars-peddled-stories-from-a-russian-propaganda-outlet-for-years/ |access-date=September 16, 2018 |work=Salon |date=November 9, 2017 |archive-date=September 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916193626/https://www.salon.com/2017/11/09/infowars-peddled-stories-from-a-russian-propaganda-outlet-for-years/ |url-status=live }}

A 2020 study by researchers from Northeastern, Harvard, Northwestern and Rutgers universities found that Infowars was among the top 5 most shared fake news domains in tweets related to COVID-19, the others being The Gateway Pundit, WorldNetDaily, Judicial Watch, and Natural News.

Infowars regularly claimed, without evidence, that mass shootings were staged "false flag" operations, and accused survivors of such events of being crisis actors employed by the United States government. Infowars host Alex Jones promoted the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting conspiracy theories, claiming that the massacre of twenty elementary school students and six staff members was "completely fake" and "manufactured," a stance for which Jones was heavily criticized.{{cite web |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/alex-jones-doubles-completely-fake-sandy-hook-claims-article-1.2878305 |title=Alex Jones doubles down on 'completely fake' Sandy Hook claims |website=Daily News |date=November 18, 2016 |location=New York |access-date=December 29, 2017 |archive-date=March 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303201639/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/alex-jones-doubles-completely-fake-sandy-hook-claims-article-1.2878305 |url-status=live }} In March 2018, six families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, as well as an FBI agent who responded to the attack, filed a defamation lawsuit against Jones for his role in spreading conspiracy theories about the shooting.

• {{cite web |url= https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/23/us/alex-jones-sandy-hook-suit/index.html |title= Alex Jones, 'InfoWars' host, sued by 6 more Sandy Hook families |author= Aaron Cooper |work= CNN |date= May 24, 2018 |access-date= May 26, 2018 |archive-date= June 21, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180621194151/https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/23/us/alex-jones-sandy-hook-suit/index.html |url-status= live }}
• {{cite web |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/alex-jones-sued-sandy-hook-victims-families-defamation-infowars-a8368346.html |title= US shock jock Alex Jones sued by six more families of Sandy Hook victims |author= Emily Shugerman |work= The Independent |date= May 25, 2018 |access-date= May 26, 2018 |archive-date= September 22, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180922203614/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/alex-jones-sued-sandy-hook-victims-families-defamation-infowars-a8368346.html |url-status= live }}
• {{cite web |url= https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/05/24/sandy-hook-families-sue-infowars-alex-jones-over-conspiracy-theory/641159002/ |title= Sandy Hook families suing Alex Jones aren't the only ones to threaten conspiracy theorist |author= Josh Hafner |work= USA Today |date= May 23, 2018 |access-date= May 26, 2018 |archive-date= September 29, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180929032647/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/05/24/sandy-hook-families-sue-infowars-alex-jones-over-conspiracy-theory/641159002/ |url-status= live }}
• {{cite web |url= http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-sandy-hook-alex-jones-lawsuit-20180523-story.html |title= More families of Sandy Hook victims, FBI agent sue Infowars{{'}} Alex Jones |author= Dave Collins |work= Associated Press Chicago Tribune |date= May 23, 2018 |access-date= May 26, 2018 |archive-date= November 1, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181101084709/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-sandy-hook-alex-jones-lawsuit-20180523-story.html |url-status= live }} In December 2019, Infowars and Jones were ordered to pay $100,000 in legal fees prior to the trial for another defamation lawsuit from a different family whose son was killed in the shooting.{{cite news|first1=Will|last1=Sommer|author-link1=Will Sommer|access-date=January 1, 2020|title=Alex Jones and Infowars Ordered to Pay $100K in Court Costs for Sandy Hook Case|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/alex-jones-and-infowars-ordered-to-pay-dollar100k-in-court-costs-for-sandy-hook-case|date=December 31, 2019|website=The Daily Beast|archive-date=January 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101012601/https://www.thedailybeast.com/alex-jones-and-infowars-ordered-to-pay-dollar100k-in-court-costs-for-sandy-hook-case|url-status=live}}{{cite news|first1=Neil|last1=Vigdor|access-date=January 1, 2020|title=Judge Orders Alex Jones and Infowars to Pay $100,000 in Sandy Hook Legal Fees|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/31/us/Alex-Jones-sandy-hook.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 31, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=January 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101012602/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/31/us/Alex-Jones-sandy-hook.html|url-status=live}} In a June 2022 agreement, the families agreed to drop their Texas and Connecticut defamation cases against Infowars, Prison Planet TV and IW Health, and in return, those companies would no longer pursue their Texas case for bankruptcy protection. The agreement did not end the separate defamation cases against Alex Jones and Free Speech Systems.{{Cite web |last=Collins |first=Dave |date=2022-06-02 |title=Infowars agrees to end bankruptcy after Sandy Hook deal |url=https://apnews.com/article/alex-jones-texas-lawsuits-shootings-1e1a87fe1e38dc8f45d9283a1375e0a5 |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}

Jones also accused David Hogg and other survivors of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting of being crisis actors.{{Cite news |url=http://fortune.com/2018/02/24/youtube-pulls-alex-jones-infowars-video/ |title=YouTube Pulls Alex Jones Video Saying Parkland Victims Were Actors |work=Fortune |access-date=February 28, 2018 |language=en |archive-date=February 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228180142/http://fortune.com/2018/02/24/youtube-pulls-alex-jones-infowars-video/ |url-status=live }}

Infowars promoted fabricated Pizzagate claims. The fake claims led to harassment of the owner and employees of Comet Ping Pong, a Washington, D.C. pizzeria targeted by the conspiracy theories, including threatening phone calls, online harassment, and death threats. The owner sent a letter to Jones in February 2017 demanding a retraction or apology. (Such a letter is required before a party may seek punitive damages in an action for libel under Texas law).{{cite act |title=Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code |type=Chapter |number=73. Libel |date=June 14, 2013 |article=4. Liability in Tort |article-type=Title |page= |url=https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.73.htm |access-date=September 7, 2018 |archive-date=September 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907221540/https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.73.htm |url-status=live }}

After receiving the letter, Jones said, "I want our viewers and listeners to know that we regret any negative impact our commentaries may have had on Mr. Alefantis, Comet Ping Pong, or its employees. We apologize to the extent our commentaries could be construed as negative statements about Mr. Alefantis or Comet Ping Pong, and we hope that anyone else involved in commenting on Pizzagate will do the same thing." Infowars also issued a correction on its website.{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/03/26/521545788/conspiracy-theorist-alex-jones-apologizes-for-promoting-pizzagate |title=Conspiracy Theorist Alex Jones Apologizes For Promoting Comet Ping Pong 'Pizzagate' Fabrication |author=James Doubek |date=March 26, 2017 |publisher=NPR |access-date=December 29, 2017 |archive-date=December 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229080432/https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/03/26/521545788/conspiracy-theorist-alex-jones-apologizes-for-promoting-pizzagate |url-status=live }}

Infowars reporter Owen Shroyer also targeted East Side Pies, a group of pizza restaurants in Austin, Texas, with similar fake "Pizzagate" claims. Following the claims, the pizza business was targeted by phone threats, vandalism, and harassment, which the co-owners called "alarming, disappointing, disconcerting and scary".{{cite web |url=http://www.mystatesman.com/news/crime--law/how-austin-east-side-pies-became-target-fake-pizzagate/jQJtrr2xVIMNmpWc0IOW5O/ |title=How Austin's East Side Pies became target of fake #pizzagate |author=Matthew Odam |date=December 7, 2017 |website=Austin American-Statesman |access-date=December 28, 2017 |archive-date=December 7, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161207225002/http://www.mystatesman.com/news/crime--law/how-austin-east-side-pies-became-target-fake-pizzagate/jQJtrr2xVIMNmpWc0IOW5O/ |url-status=live }}

In 2017, Infowars (along with similar sites) published a fake story about U.S. yogurt manufacturer Chobani, with headlines including "Idaho yogurt maker caught importing migrant rapists" and "allegations that Chobani's practice of hiring refugees brought crime and tuberculosis to Twin Falls". Chobani ultimately filed a federal lawsuit against Jones,{{Cite web |last=Rozsa |first=Matthew |date=2017-04-25 |title=Chobani sues Alex Jones after Infowars host links yogurt company's welcoming of refugees to Idaho violence |url=https://www.salon.com/2017/04/25/chobani-sues-alex-jones-after-infowars-host-says-yogurt-companys-workers/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=Salon |language=en}} which led to a settlement on confidential terms in May 2017. Jones offered an apology and retraction, admitting he had made "certain statements" on Infowars "that I now understand to be wrong".

In 2019, Jerome Corsi and InfoWars apologized and retracted a story promoting conspiracy theories about the murder of Seth Rich. The retraction was published on the front page of InfoWars, where Corsi said that "his allegations were not based upon any independent factual knowledge." Corsi said that he retracted the story because it relied on information that The Washington Times had retracted, but still thought that investigators should look into whether Seth Rich played a role.{{Cite web |last=Darcy |first=Oliver |author-link=Oliver Darcy |date=2019-03-04 |title=Jerome Corsi retracts InfoWars story that spread Seth Rich conspiracy theory {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/04/media/jerome-corsi-seth-rich/index.html |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |last=Kroll |first=Andy |date=2019-03-04 |title=Pro-Trump Conspiracy Peddler Jerome Corsi Apologizes to Seth Rich's Family |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/pro-trump-conspiracy-peddler-jerome-corsi-apologizes-to-seth-richs-family-802581/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}

While Jones stated, "I'm not a business guy, I'm a revolutionary", he spent much of Infowars{{'}}s air time pitching dietary supplements and survivalist products to his audience. As a private firm, Infowars and its affiliated limited liability companies were not required to make public financial statements; as a result, observers could only estimate its revenue and profits.

Prior to 2013, Jones focused on building a "media empire".{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Seth |title=Alex Jones's Media Empire Is a Machine Built to Sell Snake-Oil Diet Supplements |url=http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/05/how-does-alex-jones-make-money.html |access-date=September 9, 2018 |work=New York |date=May 4, 2017 |archive-date=October 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010055727/http://nymag.com/selectall/2017/05/how-does-alex-jones-make-money.html |url-status=live }} By 2013, Alex Seitz-Wald of Salon estimated that Jones was earning as much as $10 million a year between subscriptions, web and radio advertising, and sales of DVDs, T-shirts, and other merchandise.{{cite web |last1=Seitz-Wald |first1=Alex |title=Alex Jones: Conspiracy Inc. |url=https://www.salon.com/2013/05/02/alex_jones_conspiracy_inc/ |website=Salon |access-date=September 9, 2018 |date=May 2, 2013 |archive-date=December 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211141446/https://www.salon.com/2013/05/02/alex_jones_conspiracy_inc/ |url-status=live }} That year, Jones changed his business model to incorporate selling proprietary dietary supplements, including one that promised to "supercharge" cognitive functions.

Unlike most talk radio shows, Infowars itself did not directly generate income, as it did not receive syndication fees from its syndicator GCN nor a cut of GCN's advertising, and it did not sell its own advertising time. By 2017, the show had ceased promoting its video service (though it still existed), and Infowars did not make any documentary films after 2012; virtually all of its revenue was being generated by selling Jones's dietary supplements to viewers and listeners through the site's online store.

In 2017, the supplements sold on the Infowars store were primarily sourced from Dr. Edward F. Group III, a chiropractor who founded the Global Healing Center supplement vendor. A significant portion of Infowars{{'}}s products contain colloidal silver, which Jones falsely claimed "kills every virus", including "the whole SARS-corona family"; this claim was disputed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).{{cite magazine|first1=Andrew|last1=Marantz|author-link1=Andrew Marantz|access-date=April 22, 2020|title=Alex Jones's Bogus Coronavirus Cures|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/04/06/alex-jones-bogus-coronavirus-cures|magazine=The New Yorker|date=April 6, 2020|archive-date=April 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419234934/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/04/06/alex-jones-bogus-coronavirus-cures|url-status=live}}

A lesser source of revenue for Infowars was its "money bomb" telethons, which resembled public radio fundraisers, except Infowars was a for-profit institution. According to former Infowars employees, a money bomb could raise $100,000 in a day.{{cite news |last1=Warzel |first1=Charlie |title=Alex Jones Just Can't Help Himself |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/charliewarzel/alex-jones-will-never-stop-being-alex-jones |website=BuzzFeed News |publisher=BuzzFeed |access-date=September 9, 2018 |date=May 3, 2017 |archive-date=September 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909221928/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/charliewarzel/alex-jones-will-never-stop-being-alex-jones |url-status=live }}

In 2014, Jones claimed that Infowars was accumulating over $20 million in annual revenue. The New York Times attributed most of the revenue to sales of supplements, including "Super Male Vitality" and "Brain Force Plus", which Infowars purported would increase testosterone and mental agility, respectively. Court documents in 2014 indicate that Infowars was successful enough for Jones and his then-wife to be planning to "build a swimming pool complex{{nbsp}}... featuring a waterfall and dining cabana with a stone fireplace". The documents also listed Jones's possessions, including four Rolex watches, a $40,000 saltwater aquarium, a $70,000 grand piano, $50,000 in weapons, and $70,000 in jewelry.

After Infowars was banned by Facebook, YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and Pinterest, Jones appealed to viewers, "The enemy wants to cut off our funding to destroy us. If you don't fund us, we'll be shut down."

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