Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones is working to safeguard his personal social media accounts from being auctioned off alongside his Infowars media company, which is set to pay over $1 billion owed to families affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. Jones argues that selling these accounts would infringe on his privacy and hinder his opportunity to start anew following his bankruptcy.
The trustee responsible for overseeing the assets of Infowars and its parent company, Free Speech Systems, has asked a federal judge to include Jones’ personal social media accounts in an auction planned for November and December. However, the judge has delayed making a decision on the matter for at least a week.
Jones’ legal team contends that his personal accounts, which bear his real name, are not owned by Infowars or Free Speech Systems but are under his direct control. They argue that these accounts represent his personal “persona” and should not be considered assets that can be sold.
The trustee, Christopher Murray, has been warned by Jones’ attorneys that acquiring the accounts could expose a buyer to potential lawsuits regarding ownership. They assert that this highlights the need for clarity on the accounts’ status before any sale takes place.
During a recent court hearing in Houston, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez expressed concerns about the ambiguity surrounding a proposed order for the potential sale of these social media accounts. He stated the importance of ensuring that any potential buyer knows exactly what they are purchasing to avoid future legal complications. “I want to make sure that a purchaser or bidder understands what they believe they can buy. I don’t want to create litigation risk for a potential purchaser,” he remarked.
In addition to the social media accounts, the trustee is also looking to sell the rights to royalties from Jones’ book, “The Great Reset: And the War for the World,” published in August 2022, as well as his video game “Alex Jones NWO Wars,” which depicts Jones as the protagonist in a shooting scenario.
Despite the turmoil surrounding his company, Jones remains determined to continue his talk shows through alternative means, potentially via a new website and his personal social media profiles. He has even indicated that his supporters might buy Infowars’ assets, allowing him to keep hosting his show under the Infowars brand in Austin, Texas.
The trustee’s legal filings highlight that Jones’ accounts on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, Gab, and Parler are often used for promoting Infowars content and have substantial followings; for example, Jones’ X account boasts nearly 3 million followers. The trustee has underscored that social media accounts belonging to influencers and public figures are now valuable assets, with significant interest shown from various parties for the acquisition of Jones’ accounts.
Jones’ attorneys caution that if the accounts are sold, future litigation would depend on who the buyer is. “We have reached an understanding with the trustee that certain bidders would lead to litigation later, while others wouldn’t,” said Vickie Driver, one of Jones’ attorneys. “Different individuals see different values in these assets depending on how they plan to use them.”
In 2022, both Jones and his company filed for bankruptcy—this was the same year Sandy Hook families secured nearly $1.5 billion in defamation and emotional distress lawsuits against him. They accused Jones of falsely claiming the 2012 shooting was a hoax staged by “crisis actors” to promote gun control, a tragedy in which twenty first-graders and six educators lost their lives in Newtown, Connecticut. Evidence presented during civil trials in Texas and Connecticut revealed that many victims’ families endured harassment and threats from those who subscribed to Jones’ conspiracy theories, with some even confronting the grieving relatives, insisting the shooting was fabricated.
In his legal response, Jones is appealing the jury’s verdicts, invoking free speech rights and challenging the families’ ability to prove a link between his statements and the harassment they faced. Notably, he has since acknowledged the reality of the Sandy Hook tragedy.
