BuzzFeed News reports that right-wing conspiracy site InfoWars has copied over 1,000 articles from the Kremlin-sponsored Russian broadcaster RT—without its permission.
According to data from social sharing tracking website BuzzSumo, there were at least 1,014 RT articles republished on InfoWars since May of 2014. The articles appeared on InfoWars with a byline credit to RT, but a spokesperson for the Russian broadcaster told BuzzFeed News that InfoWars did not have permission to re-publish its content.
As noted below, it seems that the articles were repackaged to help make radio show host and InfoWars founder Alex Jones more money through misinformation.
This new information is particularly interesting considering that Alex Jones flew into a profanity-laden, homophobic rage earlier this year in response to Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) suggesting that InfoWars pushes Russian propaganda. He said, in part:
You want to sit here and say that I’m a goddamn, fucking Russian. You get in my face with that I’ll beat your goddamn ass, you son of a bitch. You piece of shit. You fucking goddamn fucker. Listen fuckhead, you have fucking crossed a line. Get that through your goddamn fucking head. Stop pushing your shit.
Looks like Jones doth protest too much.
A spokesperson for RT didn’t tell BuzzFeed News whether they intend to take action against the site.