FTC Warns Apple Of Violating Consumer Protection Laws

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent a warning letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook on Wednesday alleging that the Apple News app may be violating consumer protection laws by systematically promoting left-leaning news outlets while suppressing or excluding conservative ones.

FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson (appointed under the Trump administration) stated that such curation practices could breach Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts in commerce. He cited reports—including a Media Research Center study claiming no articles from right-leaning sources like Fox News, Breitbart, the New York Post, Daily Mail, or The Gateway Pundit appeared in top stories from January 1–31, 2026—while left-leaning outlets (e.g., The Washington Post, NBC News, The Guardian) and some center ones dominated.

Ferguson argued this may deceive users if it contradicts Apple's terms of service, representations about the app, or reasonable consumer expectations for neutral news aggregation used by tens of millions of Americans. He emphasized that while the First Amendment protects editorial choices and Big Tech speech, it does not shield material misrepresentations, omissions, or unfair practices—even those involving content curation.

The letter urges Apple to conduct a comprehensive review of its curation policies, terms of service, and practices, and to take swift corrective action if inconsistencies are found. Ferguson clarified the FTC is not demanding ideological balance or acting as "speech police," but focusing on potential consumer deception and injury without offsetting benefits.

Apple has not yet issued a public response. This is a warning and inquiry, not a formal investigation or enforcement action so far.

This development highlights ongoing debates over tech platforms' news aggregation and content moderation in the current regulatory climate.