The US Federal Trade Commission has cautioned Apple about potential legal consequences for its Apple News service. This warning comes amidst allegations of bias in news article promotion or suppression for political reasons. FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson highlighted the obligations under the FTC Act regarding news content curation on Apple News. President Donald Trump shared the letter on Truth Social, emphasizing that Section 5 of the FTC Act prohibits unfair or deceptive practices.
The FTC letter to Apple CEO Timothy Cook mentioned that deceptive representations that mislead consumers could breach the law. While acknowledging the protection of technology companies’ speech under the First Amendment, Ferguson clarified that this protection does not extend to misleading consumers. The letter highlighted that Big Tech companies may violate the FTC Act if they suppress or promote news articles based on ideological or political viewpoints. Apple News, a popular news aggregator on Apple devices, has faced scrutiny for allegedly favoring left-wing news outlets over conservative ones.
The FTC emphasized that it does not aim to police speech but to ensure consumer protection from misrepresentations. Ferguson urged Apple to review its terms of service and align curation practices with consumer expectations. The letter underscored the importance of corrective action if Apple’s practices are found to be inconsistent with its representations. Apple has not publicly responded to the FTC’s letter, which raises concerns about the curation practices of the widely used Apple News service.
