Apple News Faces FTC Scrutiny Over Alleged Bias

The U. S. Federal Trade Commission has expressed worry about claims that Apple News favours left‑leaning outlets while sidelining conservative voices. In a letter to Apple’s chief executive, the FTC chair explained that the agency cannot force companies to adopt any political stance or organise news by ideology. However, if Apple’s behaviour does not align with its own terms of service or with what users reasonably expect, it could be seen as a violation of the FTC Act. That law bars unfair or deceptive practices, meaning any misleading representation that could influence consumers is prohibited. The chair, a Republican appointed by two presidents from different parties, has used the FTC’s powers to address perceived censorship issues.He cited studies showing that recent Apple News feeds featured no content from conservative‑leaning U. S. outlets, while promoting many pieces from liberal sources. Apple News pulls stories from newspapers, magazines and online publishers, then arranges them in a personalised feed for millions of readers. These findings raise questions about whether the platform is acting fairly and transparently, and whether it meets consumers’ expectations. Apple has not yet replied to requests for comment about the letter. The chair also suggested that tech firms should be examined for possible misrepresentation of users or suppression of conservative speech, and for the impact of advertising withdrawals over content concerns.