X Blocks Infowars Account Sale to The Onion: Legal Battle Erupts Over Platform Ownership Rights

X Moves to Block Infowars’ Social Media Account Sale to The Onion

Elon Musk’s social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has taken legal action to prevent the sale of Infowars’ social media accounts to satirical news outlet The Onion. The move comes after The Onion announced plans to acquire Infowars, the controversial platform founded by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, through a bankruptcy auction.

X’s legal team argues that the platform, not Infowars, is the rightful owner of the accounts in question. They cite the platform’s terms of service, which grant users only a non-exclusive license to their accounts.

The sale of Infowars to The Onion was arranged by the families of Sandy Hook victims, who were awarded over $1.5 billion in damages from Alex Jones. Following the court order, Infowars and Jones declared bankruptcy, leading to the liquidation of assets to benefit the affected families.

Musk’s intervention has raised eyebrows due to his past actions and views that appear to align with Infowars. Previously, Musk restored suspended accounts belonging to Jones and Infowars on X. He has also expressed a preference for The Babylon Bee over The Onion in the past.

X’s legal opposition focuses specifically on the sale of the X accounts, rather than the entire Infowars acquisition. The primary Infowars account boasts over 600,000 followers, making it a significant asset in the deal.

Observers note that Musk’s actions may reflect broader cultural and political motivations. This wouldn’t be the first time Musk has made controversial decisions regarding X accounts, as evidenced by his previous seizure of the @America handle for political purposes.

As the legal battle unfolds, questions remain about the future of Infowars’ social media presence and the implications of platform ownership in the digital age.