An app that banned Alex Jones from using its platform is now being sued.
InfoWars and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones are suing Paypal, the online payment processing app, for “viewpoint discrimination.” After Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and other sites banned Jones in August and September, on September 21 Paypal followed suit by refusing to process payments made to Infowars. Jones claims that the decision is “a dangerous precedent for any person or entity with controversial views.”
While Jones is not a conservative, (and he is currently being sued by parents of Sandy Hook shooting victims for defamation) banning him from open market services is a slippery slope. Jones’ company, Free Speech Systems, complained that the decision to ban him was made on conduct “that had nothing to do” with the rules set by the Paypal platform.
Paypal representative Justin Higgs told Courthouse News, “Paypal is aware of the filing and believes the claims in the complaint are without merit. Paypal looks forward to vigorously defending itself.”
Jones and his company have used Paypal since 2000, according to a statement given to Courthouse News. But now, “Having effectively cornered the market, Paypal is now using that market power to restrain conservative trade and commerce,” they complained.
