FTC warns Apple over alleged political bias in Apple News featured content

(LibertyInsiderNews.com) – Apple News suppressed every single conservative story in high-traffic slots for an entire month, prompting President Trump’s FTC to demand answers from Tim Cook over potential consumer deception.

Story Highlights

FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson warns Apple of possible Section 5 FTC Act violations for biased curation in Apple News, based on MRC study showing zero right-leaning stories among 620 featured in January 2026.
Media Research Center documented 440 left-leaning, 180 centrist, and 0 conservative outlets in top slots, spanning 96 consecutive days without conservative coverage.
President Trump amplified the NY Post exclusive on Truth Social, spotlighting Big Tech’s war on fair news access for patriotic Americans.
Ferguson clarifies FTC acts as consumer protector, not speech police, urging Apple to review terms and correct bias swiftly.
No response from Apple yet, raising questions about transparency for its 100 million users expecting neutral feeds.

MRC Exposes Apple News Blackout on Conservatives

The Media Research Center analyzed 620 stories in Apple News’ high-traffic slots from January 1 to 31, 2026. Results revealed 440 from left-leaning outlets, 180 centrist, and zero from right-leaning sources like Fox News, Wall Street Journal, or New York Post. This blackout extended to 96 consecutive days by February 10, focusing negatively on President Trump’s policies. Conservatives see this as deliberate suppression, eroding trust in pre-installed apps on millions of iPhones that shape daily news consumption.

FTC Chairman Ferguson Takes Direct Action

On February 11, 2026, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Trump-appointed in January, sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Ferguson cited the MRC study, warning that curation practices may violate Section 5 of the FTC Act by engaging in unfair or deceptive acts. He emphasized misalignment with Apple’s terms promising diverse sourcing and user expectations for balanced feeds. The New York Post broke the story early that day, with President Trump sharing it on Truth Social to rally support against Big Tech overreach.

Ferguson stressed the FTC enforces consumer protection laws, not censorship. First Amendment protections do not shield misrepresentations that mislead users about news neutrality. He urged Apple to conduct an internal review and take corrective action swiftly. This marks a targeted use of consumer laws against specific app bias, distinct from broader 2025 FTC probes into tech silencing.

Apple’s Defense Amid Mounting Scrutiny

Apple claims Apple News aggregates from over 3,000 publications, including conservative voices like Fox News, WSJ, and NY Post. Users can customize feeds by following or blocking sources. A pre-letter spokesperson reiterated this diversity. However, the MRC focused solely on curated top stories in high-traffic areas, not overall sourcing. Apple has not responded to Fox or Reuters requests for comment on the letter as of February 12.

Historical context shows long-standing conservative complaints about Big Tech bias. Ferguson, once a Biden appointee, now leads Trump’s pushback. MRC’s Dan Schneider labeled the practice “subliminal propaganda” that could prove illegal if undisclosed. This tension highlights power dynamics: FTC’s regulatory authority versus Apple’s market dominance and past outreach to Trump post-2025 election.

Implications for Consumers and Industry

Short-term, Apple faces potential audits and PR fallout, straining ties with the Trump administration. Long-term, this sets precedent for treating ideological bias in news curation as deceptive under Section 5, possibly extending to Google News. Conservative publishers gain leverage for visibility, while tens of millions of users demand honest feeds. Economic ripples include fines or app changes impacting publisher revenue and traffic. Politically, it strengthens Trump’s anti-Big Tech stance, protecting American values from left-wing gatekeepers.

Socially, the bias fuels distrust in tech platforms that billions rely on daily. Brookings and others note industry-wide algorithm opacity; this FTC move signals demands for transparency. Affected communities include patriots frustrated by woke agendas infiltrating even “neutral” apps, underscoring the need to safeguard information freedom central to our republic.