Bogus coronavirus claims lead Google Play to finally give Infowars the boot

Enlarge / Alex Jones of InfoWars talks to reporters outside a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing concerning foreign influence operations' use of social media platforms, on Capitol Hill, September 5, 2018 in Washington, DC (credit: Drew Angerer | Getty Images)

On Friday, Google removed the Infowars Android app from its Play Store, extinguishing one of the last mainstream strongholds of infamous conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. The takedown came on the heels of a video, posted in the Infowars app last week and viewed by Wired, in which Jones disputed the need for social distancing, shelter in place, and quarantine efforts meant to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Google confirmed to Wired that it removed the app on Friday. The app had more than 100,000 downloads according to Google Play's published metrics, and was rated "E10+," meaning safe for all users 10 and older. The Infowars app sold products like supplements and protein powder, broadcast The Alex Jones Show live, and posted videos and articles from Jones and others.

"Now more than ever, combating misinformation on the Play Store is a top priority for the team," a Google spokesperson told Wired. "When we find apps that violate Play policy by distributing misleading or harmful information, we remove them from the store."

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