PayPal makes it harder to buy shady supplements from Infowars
PayPal confirmed Friday that it was dropping support for all Infowars websites, where conspiracy theorist Alex Jones makes serious cash selling shady health supplements.
"Our values are the foundation for the decision," a PayPal spokesperson told Mashable in a statement. "We undertook an extensive review of the Infowars sites, and found instances that promoted hate or discriminatory intolerance against certain communities and religions, which run counter to our core value of inclusion."
Jones might have become famous for his angry, hate-filled rants, as well as pushing disgusting conspiracy theories like the Sandy Hook shooting was a hoax, but he made lots of money selling supplements such as "Brain Force Plus" and "Alpha Power" online.
In 2017, New York Magazine estimated that Jones made $15 to $25 million on supplements over two years. Even if that's off, Jones himself bragged about making $18 million off his store in 2012 through 2013. Let's just say they're not worth the exorbitant prices.
While Twitter and Facebook banning Alex Jones reduces his reach, a ban from PayPal really hits him where it hurts: his wallet.
Keith Wagstaff is an assistant editor at Mashable and a terrible Settlers of Catan player. He has written for TIME, The Wall Street Journal Magazine, NBC News, The Village Voice, VICE, GQ and New York Magazine, among many other reputable and not-so-reputable publications. After nearly a decade in New York City, he now lives in his native Los Angeles.
