This is a hard question. There are certain people who are predisposed to this type of thinking, and the YouTube auto play algorithm does seem to funnel people to these types of content (likely due to high engagement). But banning him from the platform plays perfectly into Jones'narrative that he is fighting the shadowy forces that control media. In a way, it almost legitimizes him to his audience.

> The best thing to do might be to let far-right conspiracy theory propaganda die in the mainstream, since the mainstream is where things go to die.

Last time I checked, my mother still thinks Obama is Muslim.

So no. Crackpot theories become more widespread once they hit mainstream. And they stay there forever.

I'm not so sure about your theory of mainstream mortality, could you offer some examples? I feel this might be a cliche among technologists who associate mass adoption with a slowdown of innovation or at least of novelty.

More likely it makes him harder to find and limits his reach more.

He's atop Google search today, and articles on his site about "the purge" have far more engagement than others, so apparently many are seeking him out in light of the news.

And not one person is getting him as a suggested video on YouTube, shared on Facebook, etc...

Deplatforming is effective.

If mere exposure to irrational ideas is this dangerous then this basically means the neoreactionaries are right and democracy is not viable. If people are that dumb they should not be able to vote.

I think the answer is much simpler but equally pathetic. The center right and center left are both so vapid and devoid of vision that they are helpless to address the "alternative" of Alex Jones. It is our elite that have failed and left a vacuum to be filled with whatever happens to be loudest.

If we had real public intellectuals and a real media and real politicians with vision Jones would be completely marginalized. He only succeeds because the culture is so empty.

I suspect his fans will be pointing others to his website, and probably twisting the narrative ("The truth Facebook doesn't want you to hear!")

So your saying you would want Jones' demagoguery to be mainstream?

I think the best scenario would be for people to see en masse that his predictions amount to nothing. Some people will never catch on but many will. Over time this will discredit his movement.

Alex Jones has been around for a long, long time.

Unfortunately, he's been pretty well known for well over a decade, and he's just grown significantly in popularity in that time.

Pardon me, if I misunderstood you.

Jones is already mainstream. He is not going to get smaller if you give him bigger platforms.

Unrelated question.

Can somebody explain to me, how he went from "9/11 was inside job, police are jackbooted thugs, anti Bush, anti Obama" to being pro police, pro government?

I want to understand the logic behind this.

>logic

Unfortunately your question starts with an untenable premise ;)

How indeed? Best not talk about it here on hackernews though, it's wrongthink and will get you banned.

Remember there's no conspiracy to control the narrative. It's totally a coincidence that Alex Jones got banned from Youtube, itunes, and Facebook simultaneously.

I'm surprised that such an established HN user as you would say something that absurd about HN moderation.

I've been here long enough right? I've seen it happen, my share of [dead] comments.

Maybe so, but "wrongthink"? That's not even close to accurate.