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The whole far right thing was discussed on the talk page of Alex Jones and was changed due to being very contentious
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[[File:Infowars logo.png|thumb|InfoWars logo]]
[[File:Infowars logo.png|thumb|InfoWars logo]]
'''''InfoWars''''' is a website and podcast promoting conspiracy theories and Conservative politics. It features the ''Alex Jones Show''. InfoWars was established as a public-access television program aired in [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Texas]] hosted by far-right conspiracy theorist [[Alex Jones (radio show host)|Alex Jones]].
'''''InfoWars''''' is a website and podcast promoting conspiracy theories and Conservative politics. It features the ''Alex Jones Show''. InfoWars was established as a public-access television program aired in [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Texas]] hosted by conservative conspiracy theorist [[Alex Jones (radio show host)|Alex Jones]].
Subjects of the show have been targeted with online harassment and abuse from its fans.<ref name="vice">{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/vvxey8/how-infowars-became-the-opposite-of-everything-it-set-out-to-be|title=How Infowars Became the Opposite of Everything It Set Out to Be|website=VICE|accessdate=December 28, 2017}}</ref> The website and show make money by selling branded goods including supplements.
Subjects of the show have been targeted with online harassment and abuse from its fans.<ref name="vice">{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/vvxey8/how-infowars-became-the-opposite-of-everything-it-set-out-to-be|title=How Infowars Became the Opposite of Everything It Set Out to Be|website=VICE|accessdate=December 28, 2017}}</ref> The website and show make money by selling branded goods including supplements.


Revision as of 12:32, 30 December 2017

For the 2004 film, see Info Wars.
InfoWars logo

InfoWars is a website and podcast promoting conspiracy theories and Conservative politics. It features the Alex Jones Show. InfoWars was established as a public-access television program aired in Austin, Texas hosted by conservative conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Subjects of the show have been targeted with online harassment and abuse from its fans.[1] The website and show make money by selling branded goods including supplements.

Infowars also advocates New World Order conspiracy theories, 9/11 conspiracy theories, chemtrails, 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 Sandy Hook), and the unsupported claim that millions voted illegally in the 2016 US presidential election.[2][3] Jones frequently uses InfoWars to assert that new high profile mass shootings are conspiracies or "false flag" operations, claims which are often then spread via the right wing media.[4][5] This has been characterised as Second Amendment "fan fiction".[6]

Hosts

Alex Jones

See main article Alex Jones (radio host)

Alex Jones is the main host, and operator of Infowars.

Apart from Alex Jones himself, the show has become a platform for various hosts.

Owen Shroyer

Owen Shroyer (born 1989) is an American political activist and commentator from St. Louis who now lives and works in Texas. He has been noted as a figure in America's alt-right movement.[7] He was a radio show co-host in St. Louis. He began hosting a podcast and posting YouTube videos of his views. He has done many interviews at political protests.

Shroyer was born and raised in the city of St. Louis, where he attended the Christian Brothers College High School, before studying Psychology and Media at Missouri University. He started his career as a radio host and sports reporter.[8] He worked with Kevin Slaten at drive-time on KFNS.[9]

Shroyer is known by some fans with the pseudonym "Carl The Cuckslayer" after a video posted to YouTube in March 2016 where he quizzed Trump protesters over their motivation received over 2 million views.[10] He continued to post videos throughout the year questioning protesters, and was used as a talking head of the alt-right for a number of newspaper articles.[11][12]

In July 2016, Shroyer stopped CNN presenter Van Jones in the streets of Cleveland and attempted to engage him in an unscheduled on-camera debate. Jones participated willingly, and put forward well-constructed arguments, leading Shroyer to admit his opinion of Jones had changed favorably following the encounter.[13][14][15]

On September 2, 2017, while covering a pro-immigrant rally that took place in Austin, Texas, for InfoWars, Shroyer was filmed asking questions to protesters. He started to question about her views a young teenager, Olivia Williams, who in return called him a "fucking idiot", leading to international coverage of the incident.[16]

In November 2017, Shroyer received international press attention for his coverage of an Antifa anti-Trump rally in Austin where Trump supporters outnumbered the protesters by approximately 4 to 1.[17]

Other hosts

Other hosts on the show include Anthony Cumia, Mike Cernovich, Roger Stone, Paul Joseph Watson, David L. Knight, and Telly Blackwood.

Notable guests

Gavin McInnes and Mark Dice are regular guests.

Promotion of conspiracy theories

InfoWars has disseminated various conspiracy theories, such as speaking against the HPV vaccine,[18] claiming that the Las Vegas shooting was part of a conspiracy, and stating that Hitler is alive.[19] Among the conspiracy theories Shroyer has promoted Pizzagate, Shroyer targeted ESP, a group of pizza restaurants in Austin, causing the businesses to get harassing phone calls.[20]

Jones was forced to apologize to the owners of Comet Ping Pong Pizza after his fans harassed the shop and its staff over Jones's promotion of Pizzagate.[21]

Infowars has also promoted the sandy Hook shooting conspiracy. Jones was widely criticized for claiming that the Sandy Hook massacre "completely fake" and "manufactured".[22] Families of the murders children have been subjected to harassment.[23]

References

  1. ^ "How Infowars Became the Opposite of Everything It Set Out to Be". VICE. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  2. ^ "Alex Jones' Mis-Infowars: 7 Bat-Sh*t Conspiracy Theories". Retrieved 2017-12-30.
  3. ^ "Alex Jones says 9/11, the Sandy Hook shooting and the Boston Marathon bombing were "false flag" operations". Newsweek. 2017-06-16. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
  4. ^ Grynbaum, Michael M. (2017-10-09). "Las Vegas Massacre Gives InfoWars More Conspiracy Fodder". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
  5. ^ Finnegan, William (2016-06-23). "Donald Trump and the "Amazing" Alex Jones". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
  6. ^ "No, Armed Protests Are Not Normal in Austin". Retrieved 2017-12-30.
  7. ^ "Milo Yiannopoulos to Tomi Lahren: the faces of America's young alt-Right pack". Evening Standard. December 8, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2017.
  8. ^ "Radio host protests 'police state' in Ferguson". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 13, 2014. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  9. ^ Caesar, Dan. "Media Views: No kidding — comedy is key in new KFNS lineup". StLToday.com. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  10. ^ The Alex Jones Channel (March 11, 2016). "Original AIDS Skrillex & Carl The Cuck at Trump Rally". Retrieved December 28, 2017 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ Lovelace, Ryan. "Trump supporters, Black Lives Matter clash outside GOP convention". WashingtonExaminer.com. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  12. ^ Weigel, David (August 29, 2017). "Analysis - In one corner of the Internet, the 2016 Democratic primary never ended". Retrieved December 28, 2017 – via www.WashingtonPost.com.
  13. ^ Mengel, Gregory (July 22, 2016). "Van Jones Schools Us All". HuffingtonPost.com. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  14. ^ "Rising right-wing star tries to take down Van Jones — but gets taught an epic lesson instead". Raw Story. July 24, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  15. ^ Jason Jay, Gabriel Grant (2017). Breaking Through Gridlock: The Power of Conversation in a Polarized World, Berrett-Koehler Publishers. ISBN 1626568952.
  16. ^ "Girl Swears Out Infowars Reporter". Salon. September 7, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  17. ^ Oliphant, Vickiie (November 5, 2017). "Antifa rally a 'COMPLETE FLOP': Anti-Trump protestors OUTNUMBERED by supporters". Express.co.uk. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  18. ^ "I watched Alex Jones give his viewers health advice. Here's what I learned". Vox.com. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  19. ^ Mathis-Lilley, Ben (November 2, 2017). "Trump-Endorsed Media Outlet Reports That Hitler Is Alive". Retrieved December 28, 2017 – via Slate.
  20. ^ "How Austin's East Side Pies became target of fake #pizzagate". MyStatesman.com. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  21. ^ "Conspiracy Theorist Alex Jones Apologizes For Promoting Comet Ping Pong 'Pizzagate' Fabrication : The Two-Way : NPR". npr.org. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  22. ^ "Alex Jones doubles down on 'completely fake' Sandy Hook claims". NY Daily News. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  23. ^ Barbara Demick. "In an age of 'alternative facts,' a massacre of schoolchildren is called a hoax". LA Times. Retrieved December 29, 2017.


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