Is Apple News Biased? FTC Warns Tim Cook Over Deceptive Content Curation

U.S. Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson has issued a stern warning to Apple CEO Tim Cook, suggesting the company’s news curation might be breaking federal law.

The letter follows reports alleging that Apple News systematically boosts left-leaning outlets while suppressing conservative voices.

Ferguson argues that if Apple News claims to be a neutral aggregator but actually plays favourites, it could be a “deceptive practice” under the FTC Act. While Apple has First Amendment rights, the FTC notes that those rights don’t give a company a pass to mislead its customers.

The letter explicitly outlines how viewpoint-based curation could trigger legal action:

“Big Tech companies that suppress or promote news articles in their news aggregators or feeds based on the perceived ideological or political viewpoint of the article or publication may violate the FTC Act if that suppression or promotion (1) is inconsistent with the terms and conditions of service; (2) is contrary to consumers’ reasonable expectations such that failure to disclose the ideological favoritism is a material omission; or (3) when those practices cause substantial injury that is neither reasonably avoidable nor outweighed by countervailing benefits to consumers or competition.”

The Chairman isn’t looking to be the “speech police” but is focused on whether Apple is being honest about how its app works. He urged Apple to review its terms of service immediately to ensure they actually match how the company curates stories.

Ferguson added that ideological censorship “stifles the free exchange of ideas” and warned Apple to take corrective action swiftly if its internal review finds any inconsistencies between its rules and its reality.

Obviously this FTC concern is only regarding Apple News curation in the U.S. and not Canada.

Cook has played his political cards right so far for Apple, as he has fostered a positive relationship with President Donald Trump. Last year at a White House dinner with tech executives, Cook told the President, “I want to thank you for setting the tone such that we could make a major investment in the United States and have some key manufacturing, advanced manufacturing here. I think that says a lot about your focus and your leadership and your focus on innovation.”