FTC tells Tim Cook to look into reports Apple News is censoring conservatives

In a recent communication, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Andrew Ferguson has urged Apple CEO Tim Cook to assess claims of political bias within Apple News. This follows allegations suggesting that the platform may be favoring content from left-leaning news sources while relegating conservative outlets. Ferguson expressed his concerns in a letter shared on X, stating that recent reports indicate a pattern of Apple News promoting articles from liberal publications while suppressing those from more conservative media. Though acknowledging Apple’s right to curate content as it sees fit, he emphasized the importance of transparency in their practices. The letter referenced a study conducted by the Media Research Center, a conservative advocacy group, which analyzed featured stories on Apple News during morning hours in January. The findings revealed that conservative-leaning outlets were absent from a sample of 620 stories. Notably, former President Donald Trump highlighted this study on his Truth Social platform, drawing further attention to the issue. Ferguson pointed out that if Apple News is found to be favoring or suppressing specific content without proper disclosure, it could be in violation of the FTC Act. He called for a thorough review of the platform’s curation policies, insisting that corrective measures should be taken if the current practices do not align with the company's stated terms of service.