Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones is planning to auction off his personal social media accounts as part of a strategy to settle the over $1 billion debt owed to the families affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The company behind Infowars aims to prevent the sale of these accounts, arguing that it infringes on privacy rights and would provide Jones a chance to start anew following his bankruptcy.
In a recent request to a federal judge, the trustee managing the assets of Infowars and its parent company Free Speech Systems sought to include Jones’ social media accounts in an auction set for later this year. The judge has delayed making a decision on this request for at least one week.
Jones’ legal team contends that his personal social media profiles, which bear his name, are not assets belonging to Infowars or Free Speech Systems. They assert that these accounts reflect his personal identity and thus should not be subject to sale. “These should be treated as part of his private persona,” they noted.
The lawyers argue that the trustee, Christopher Murray, has no claim to these accounts as saleable properties and caution that buyers might encounter legal challenges regarding the legitimacy of the purchase.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Christopher Lopez expressed uncertainty over the proposed order regarding the sale of Jones’ social media accounts, indicating that further clarification is needed. He has requested a separate ruling within a week and scheduled a public hearing.
“It’s essential that all parties are aligned on what is being sold before any sale occurs,” Lopez stated. “We want to ensure that potential buyers fully understand what they are acquiring to avoid litigation risks.”
In addition to the social media accounts, the trustee is looking to acquire royalties from Jones’ book, “The Great Reset: And the War for the World,” published in August 2022, as well as from the video game “Alex Jones NWO Wars,” launched in 2023, where Jones serves as the main character.
Despite facing significant debt, Jones remains determined to continue his talk show through alternative platforms, potentially via a new website or personal accounts. He has also suggested that if backers were to purchase Infowars’ assets, he could still produce shows under the Infowars brand from Austin, Texas.
The trustee’s legal representatives have argued that Jones’ accounts on platforms such as X, Telegram, Gab, and Parler, where he regularly shares Infowars content, have become valuable assets. Notably, Jones’ X account boasts nearly 3 million followers.
The trustee believes that social media profiles belonging to public figures have gained substantial market value, and there has been keen interest from various parties to acquire Jones’ accounts.
Jones’ legal counsel indicated that a sale would transfer the risk of litigation onto the buyer. “If a buyer successfully bids, they may face litigation later, but if they do, they can’t shift it back to Jones,” said Vicki Driver, one of his attorneys, reassuring the judge.
“For some buyers, these accounts hold potential value in one context, while for others, they could be valuable in entirely different ways,” Driver added.
Both Jones and his company filed for bankruptcy protection in 2022, prompted by a series of legal challenges asserting that Jones had falsely claimed the tragic Sandy Hook shooting was staged by “crisis actors” aiming to push for stricter gun control. The Sandy Hook families won a defamation lawsuit against Jones, totaling approximately $1.5 billion, which marks a significant loss for him. The shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, led to the deaths of 20 children and six educators.
Throughout two civil trials held in Texas and Connecticut, many plaintiffs shared harrowing accounts of the trauma they endured due to Jones’ conspiracy theories and the harassment they faced from his followers. One parent even recounted receiving threats regarding the grave of their deceased child.
Jones is currently appealing the civil jury’s verdict, invoking his right to free speech while disputing the connection between his statements and the harassment suffered by the Sandy Hook families. He later acknowledged that the shooting did indeed take place.
