FTC questions Apple over claims of political bias in Apple News
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has raised concerns with Apple over allegations that its Apple News service may favor content from left-leaning news outlets while limiting visibility for conservative publications.
In a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said the agency does not have authority to force companies to take political positions or curate content based on ideology. However, he warned that if Apple’s practices conflict with its own terms of service or consumer expectations, they could potentially violate U.S. consumer protection law, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Under Section 5 of the FTC Act, companies are prohibited from engaging in unfair or deceptive practices. Regulators said misleading representations about how content is selected or displayed could fall under that category.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Ferguson cited reports and studies claiming Apple News has recently featured large numbers of articles from liberal-leaning publications while reportedly not highlighting content from conservative sources. The Apple News platform aggregates and curates content from newspapers, magazines, and digital media outlets.
The FTC chairman said such claims raise questions about whether the service is operating transparently for the millions of Americans who rely on it for daily news.
Apple has not yet publicly responded to the concerns. The issue comes amid broader political and regulatory debates in the United States over content moderation, platform transparency, and alleged online censorship.
By Aysel Mammadzada
Similar news
