Apple News accused of suppressing conservative media

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has expressed concerns to Apple that Apple News favors left-wing media and suppresses content from conservative sources. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson stated this in a letter addressed to CEO Tim Cook.

Ferguson emphasized that the commission does not have the authority to order companies to take political positions or compile news according to ideology. However, he noted that if Apple's practices conflict with its terms of use or reasonable consumer expectations, they could violate FTC law.

This law prohibits unfair or deceptive practices, defining a statement as deceptive if it is material and likely to mislead consumers.

According to Ferguson, several studies suggest that Apple News has not published any articles from conservative-leaning American sources in recent months, while promoting hundreds of articles from liberal publications.

Apple News aggregates content from newspapers, magazines, and digital media into a single news channel. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Ferguson has previously stated that the FTC should investigate possible suppression of conservative speech on technology platforms.

(reuters, max)