Roku removes Alex Jones' Infowars channel after backlash from users and families of those killed in Sandy Hook shooting

Alex Jones

Roku, the company known for its streaming TVs, announced Tuesday it would remove the controversial show Infowars from its platform after backlash.
Roku originally said Infowars wasn't violating its terms of use, but less than 24 hours later it said it had "determined that the channel should be removed" after hearing from "concerned parties."
Users took to social media to express concern over Roku's original decision to include the program, which frequently featured conspiracy theories about the school shooting at Sandy Hook.
Most other major platforms, including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Apple's App Store, removed Jones and his outlet from their services six months ago.

Roku will no longer include the controversial show Infowars, hosted by right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, on its platform, the company said in a statement on Twitter Tuesday night.

After the InfoWars channel became available, we heard from concerned parties and have determined that the channel should be removed from our platform. Deletion from the channel store and platform has begun and will be completed shortly.
— Roku (@Roku) January 16, 2019

The move comes less than 24 hours after the company initially defended its choice to include the channel, saying in a statement to Digiday that the channel did not violate terms of use and it does "not curate or censor based on viewpoint."

Many users then took to social media to express concern over the company's decision to include the show, which frequently discusses conspiracy theories about 9/11 and the school shooting at Sandy Hook.

An attorney representing parents of children who were killed in the Sandy Hook school shooting told Variety, "Roku's shocking decision to carry Infowars and provide a platform for Alex Jones is an insult to the memory of the 26 children and educators killed at Sandy Hook. Worse, it interferes with families’ efforts to prevent people like Jones from profiting off innocent victims whose lives have been turned upside down by unspeakable loss."

In a tweet Tuesday night, the company said after hearing from "concerned parties," Roku "determined that the channel should be removed from [its] platform" and deletion "will be completed shortly."

Most other major platforms, including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Apple's App Store, removed Jones and his outlet from their services six months ago. Google, however, continues to offer an Infowars app on Google Play.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Apple forever changed the biggest tech event of the year by not showing up