InfoWars is a far-right website known for spreading conspiracy theories and fake news. It was founded in 1999 by Alex Jones and originally operated under Free Speech Systems LLC. After declaring bankruptcy, InfoWars was acquired by Global Tetrahedron, the same company that publishes the satirical news website, The Onion.
1999: InfoWars and The Alex Jones Show Launch
InfoWars, founded by Alex Jones and his then-wife Kelly in 1999, began as a platform for their conspiracy-oriented videos. The Alex Jones Show, a public-access television program aired in Austin, Texas, became a key part of InfoWars' broadcasts.
1999: InfoWars Founded
InfoWars, a far-right conspiracy theory and fake news website, was founded by Alex Jones in 1999. Initially operating under Free Speech Systems LLC, it started as a mail-order outlet for conspiracy-oriented videos.
2012: InfoWars' Revenue Model Shifts to Supplement Sales
By 2012, InfoWars had ceased generating income through traditional media avenues like syndication fees, advertising, video services, and documentaries. The primary source of revenue shifted to selling dietary supplements directly to consumers via the InfoWars online store.
2013: InfoWars Shifts Business Model to Dietary Supplements
By 2013, Alex Jones had built a substantial media presence with InfoWars, estimated to be earning around $10 million annually through various revenue streams. In 2013, Jones incorporated the sale of dietary supplements into his business model, marketing products like one claiming to "supercharge" cognitive functions.
May 2014: InfoWars Begins Republishing Articles Without Permission
Starting in May 2014, InfoWars began republishing articles from various sources, including RT, without permission.
2014: InfoWars' Reported Financial Success
In 2014, Alex Jones claimed InfoWars was generating over $20 million in annual revenue, primarily through supplement sales like "Super Male Vitality" and "Brain Force Plus." Court documents from the same year indicated Jones's financial success, revealing plans for a lavish swimming pool complex and listing his possessions, including Rolex watches, a saltwater aquarium, a grand piano, weapons, and jewelry.
2015: InfoWars Publishes Fabricated Story About Drug Smugglers
In 2015, InfoWars published a fabricated story about drug smugglers, later admitting to lying for clicks.
2015: InfoWars Listed Among Worst Anti-Science Websites
In 2015, InfoWars was listed as one of the worst anti-science websites by skeptic Brian Dunning.
2016: Paul Joseph Watson Joins InfoWars
Paul Joseph Watson was hired as editor-at-large for InfoWars in 2016.
2016: InfoWars Promotes Various Conspiracy Theories
InfoWars promoted various conspiracy theories, including those related to the New World Order, 9/11, chemtrails, Bill Gates, and the 2016 US presidential election.
2016: InfoWars Investigated for Potential Involvement in Russian Election Interference
InfoWars was investigated by the FBI for potential involvement in the spread of fake news by Russian bots during the 2016 US elections.
2016: InfoWars Promoted by Russian Bots
During the 2016 presidential election, InfoWars was promoted by bots linked to the Russian government.
February 2017: Jerome Corsi Joins InfoWars
In February 2017, political commentator Jerome Corsi joined InfoWars as Washington bureau chief, following InfoWars receiving a White House day pass.
February 2017: InfoWars Promotes Pizzagate Conspiracy Theory
InfoWars promoted the fabricated Pizzagate conspiracy theory, leading to harassment of a D.C. pizzeria.
May 2017: InfoWars Settles Lawsuit with Chobani
InfoWars settled a lawsuit with Chobani in May 2017 after publishing a false story about the company. Alex Jones issued an apology and retraction.
May 2017: Mike Cernovich Joins InfoWars
Mike Cernovich joined InfoWars as a guest host for The Alex Jones Show in May 2017, marking a significant rise in his profile, as reported by CNN.
June 2017: Roger Stone to Host InfoWars Show
In June 2017, former Donald Trump advisor Roger Stone was announced as the host of his own InfoWars show, prompting the construction of a new studio.
July 6, 2017: InfoWars Launches "CNN Meme" Contest
On July 6, 2017, Alex Jones and Paul Joseph Watson launched a contest on InfoWars, offering $20,000 for the best "CNN Meme." This followed CNN's report on a Reddit user's anti-CNN meme.
November 2017: InfoWars Continues Republishing Articles Without Permission
InfoWars continued republishing articles without permission until November 2017.
2017: InfoWars Promotes Antisemitic Conspiracy Theories
In 2017, Haaretz reported that InfoWars promoted several antisemitic conspiracy theories.
2017: InfoWars Promotes Las Vegas Shooting Conspiracy Theories
InfoWars spread conspiracy theories about the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.
2017: InfoWars Supplements and FDA Dispute
In 2017, most supplements sold through the InfoWars store were sourced from Dr. Edward F. Group III's Global Healing Center. Many products contained colloidal silver, which Jones falsely claimed could "kill every virus," including the "SARS-corona family." This claim was disputed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
2017: InfoWars Reaches Millions
In 2017, InfoWars reportedly received approximately 10 million monthly visits, surpassing the reach of some mainstream news websites. However, it faced criticism for publishing fake stories and harassing victims.
2017: InfoWars as a Top Shared Source
A 2017 Harvard study identified InfoWars as the 13th most shared source among Donald Trump supporters on Twitter during the 2016 election.
February 2018: Jones Accused of Discrimination and Harassment
Alex Jones faced accusations of antisemitism, racism, and sexual harassment from former employees in February 2018, allegations he denied.
February 2018: Alex Jones Accused of Harassment
In February 2018, Alex Jones, publisher, director, and owner of InfoWars, faced accusations of discrimination and sexual harassment from employees.
March 2018: Brands Suspend Ads on InfoWars
Several major brands suspended advertising on InfoWars' YouTube channels in March 2018 after CNN revealed their ads were appearing alongside InfoWars content.
March 2018: Families of Sandy Hook Victims Sue InfoWars
In March 2018, families of Sandy Hook victims filed a defamation lawsuit against InfoWars and Alex Jones for spreading conspiracy theories about the shooting.
June 2018: Jerome Corsi Leaves InfoWars
Jerome Corsi's time at InfoWars ended in June 2018, with six months of severance pay.
July 2018: YouTube Removes InfoWars Videos
YouTube removed four InfoWars videos for violating hate speech policies and suspended posting for 90 days in July 2018. Facebook also banned Jones for violating community standards.
July 27, 2018: Facebook Suspends Alex Jones
Facebook suspended Alex Jones's official page for 30 days on July 27, 2018, for hate speech against Robert Mueller.
August 2018: Tech Platforms Remove InfoWars Content
In August 2018, YouTube, Apple, and Facebook removed content from Alex Jones and InfoWars due to hate speech and harassment violations.
September 7, 2018: InfoWars App Removed from Apple App Store
On September 7, 2018, Apple removed the InfoWars app from its App Store.
September 2018: Twitter and Periscope Suspend InfoWars and Alex Jones
In September 2018, Twitter and Periscope suspended both InfoWars and Alex Jones after Jones posted a video calling for violence against "antifa, the mainstream media, and Chicom operatives."
September 20, 2018: PayPal Terminates InfoWars Payment Processing
PayPal stopped processing payments for InfoWars on September 20, 2018, citing the platform's promotion of hate and discrimination.
October 2018: InfoWars Ranked Low in Trust
An October 2018 Simmons Research survey ranked InfoWars as the second least trusted news organization in the U.S.
2018: Wikipedia Blacklists InfoWars
Wikipedia blacklisted InfoWars as a source in 2018, labeling it a "conspiracy theorist and fake news website."
February 2019: Facebook Removes InfoWars Pages
By February 2019, Facebook had removed 89 pages linked to InfoWars and Alex Jones due to repeated policy violations.
May 2, 2019: Facebook and Instagram Ban InfoWars and Alex Jones
On May 2, 2019, Facebook and Instagram banned both InfoWars and Alex Jones as part of a broader ban on far-right extremists.
May 2019: Trump Defends InfoWars Figures
In May 2019, President Trump tweeted defenses of InfoWars figures following their ban from Facebook.
December 2019: InfoWars Ordered to Pay Legal Fees in Sandy Hook Case
In December 2019, InfoWars was ordered to pay $100,000 in legal fees in a Sandy Hook defamation case.
2019: InfoWars Retracts Seth Rich Conspiracy Story
In 2019, InfoWars and Jerome Corsi issued a retraction for a story about the murder of Seth Rich, which promoted several conspiracy theories. Corsi stated that his claims lacked independent factual basis and were based on information retracted by the Washington Times. Despite the retraction, Corsi maintained that investigators should explore Seth Rich's potential involvement.
2019: InfoWars's COVID-19 Claims Draw FDA Scrutiny
In 2019 and onward, InfoWars faced scrutiny and legal challenges related to its false claims about products marketed as COVID-19 remedies.
March 12, 2020: New York AG Issues Cease and Desist to InfoWars
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a cease and desist letter to InfoWars on March 12, 2020, regarding the sale of unapproved products falsely claimed as COVID-19 treatments.
March 27, 2020: InfoWars App Removed from Google Play Store
Google Play removed the InfoWars app on March 27, 2020, for violating its policies on misinformation related to COVID-19.
2020: InfoWars Identified as Major Source of COVID-19 Misinformation
A 2020 study identified InfoWars as one of the top sources of COVID-19 misinformation on Twitter.
January 6, 2021: InfoWars Reporter Involved in January 6th Capitol Attack
InfoWars reporter Joe Biggs was indicted for seditious conspiracy for his role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
April 2022: InfoWars Files for Bankruptcy Protection
The company behind InfoWars filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April 2022.
June 2022: Families Drop Defamation Cases Against InfoWars Entities
In June 2022, families of Sandy Hook victims dropped defamation cases against InfoWars entities in exchange for the companies dropping their bankruptcy protection case.
July 30, 2022: InfoWars Files for Bankruptcy
On July 30, 2022, Free Speech Systems, the parent company of InfoWars, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection amid a $150 million lawsuit from Sandy Hook families.
March 2023: Leaked Texts Reveal InfoWars' Attempts to Evade Social Media Bans
In March 2023, leaked texts from Alex Jones' Sandy Hook defamation trial revealed that InfoWars had been using alternate websites to circumvent social media bans.
December 2023: Elon Musk Reinstates Alex Jones on Twitter
Following his acquisition of Twitter, Elon Musk overturned the permanent ban on Alex Jones in December 2023.
June 23, 2024: Request to Liquidate InfoWars
On June 23, 2024, a bankruptcy court-appointed trustee requested an emergency stay to sell, shut down, and liquidate InfoWars.
November 14, 2024: The Onion Purchases InfoWars
On November 14, 2024, following a bankruptcy auction, the satirical news source The Onion purchased InfoWars.