US FTC airs concerns over allegations that Apple News suppresses right-wing content

The Federal Trade Commission has raised concerns about claims that Apple is limiting the visibility of conservative-leaning news sources on its Apple News platform.

In correspondence addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook, FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson referenced findings from the Media Research Centre, a right-leaning research organisation. The group alleged that right-leaning publications were excluded from the top 20 stories in Apple News.

“These reports raise serious questions about whether Apple News is acting in accordance with its terms of service and its representations to consumers […] I abhor and condemn any attempt to censor content for ideological reasons,” Ferguson wrote in his letter.

Ferguson, who has been openly critical of large technology companies and was appointed by Donald Trump to lead the FTC, acknowledged that the agency lacks authority to compel Apple to adopt any particular political or ideological stance when curating news content. However, he indicated that if Apple’s editorial practices are inconsistent with its publicly stated terms of service or with reasonable consumer expectations, the company could potentially face scrutiny under the FTC Act.

Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission and another Trump appointee known for his criticism of major tech firms, echoed Ferguson’s concerns. Carr stated that Apple does not have the right to suppress conservative viewpoints if doing so would violate the FTC Act.

Ferguson has called on Apple to conduct a comprehensive review of its terms of service and ensure that its content-curation practices in Apple News align with those policies. He also urged the company to act promptly if it finds discrepancies between its practices and its stated guidelines.

The letter was sent one day after President Trump shared the Media Research Centre’s report on his social media platform, Truth Social. Trump has frequently accused large technology companies of discriminating against conservative viewpoints. However, several major platforms have scaled back content moderation measures implemented earlier to combat misinformation and disinformation.

Apple’s relationship with the Trump administration has fluctuated over the past year. While Trump has publicly criticised Big Tech firms, particularly Apple, over manufacturing devices in China, relations appeared to improve after Cook committed to investing more than $600 billion in the United States over the next four years. Apple also avoided proposed tariffs on smartphones manufactured abroad and imported into the U.S.

Separately, the FTC last year initiated an inquiry into what it described as potential “censorship by tech platforms.” The agency invited public input from individuals who believed they had been silenced because of their political beliefs or affiliations. At the time, Ferguson said, “Tech firms should not be bullying their users. This inquiry will help the FTC better understand how these firms may have violated the law by silencing and intimidating Americans for speaking their minds.”