Washington, D.C., Feb 28 (NationPress) The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a warning to Apple regarding its Apple News service, suggesting it may face legal repercussions under federal law due to allegations of politically motivated suppression or promotion of news articles. This has ignited new discussions within Washington about the methods Big Tech employs to manage online content.

In a formal communication addressed to Apple's CEO, Timothy Cook, FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson outlined the company's responsibilities under the FTC Act concerning the curation of news content through Apple News.

President Donald Trump shared the letter on Truth Social last Friday.

The letter emphasizes that “Section 5 of the FTC Act prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices.” It further elaborates that a representation is considered deceptive if it “is material and would likely mislead consumers acting reasonably under the circumstances.” The Act also prohibits “material misrepresentations and material omissions.”

Ferguson recognized that the First Amendment provides protections for the speech of technology companies.

“However, the First Amendment does not shield material misrepresentations made to consumers, nor does it grant immunity to speakers from actions deemed unfair under the FTC Act, even if those actions involve speech,” he stated.

The letter indicates that large tech firms that manipulate news feeds based on the perceived ideological or political stance of a publication “may breach the FTC Act” if such behaviors conflict with their terms of service, contradict consumer expectations, or cause significant consumer harm.

As noted by the Chairman, Apple News “compiles stories from various newspapers, magazines, and digital platforms, curating these stories to deliver a digital news feed to consumers.”

This service is pre-installed on numerous Apple devices and “is claimed to be the most widely used news application in the United States.”

The letter cites recent allegations that Apple News has “systematically favored news articles from left-leaning sources while suppressing articles from more conservative outlets.”

It references studies revealing that in recent months, Apple News did not feature “any articles from American conservative-leaning news outlets” but highlighted “hundreds of articles from liberal sources.”

“These findings raise significant concerns about whether Apple News aligns with its terms of service and its commitments to consumers,” Ferguson wrote.

He underscored that the FTC “is not the speech police” and does not possess the authority to compel Apple “to take specific stances on any political matters.” Nevertheless,

Congress has instructed the agency to safeguard consumers from “material misrepresentations and omissions.”

“As the Chairman of the FTC, I am writing to remind you of your obligations under the FTC Act,” Ferguson stated, encouraging Apple to conduct “a thorough review” of its terms of service and ensure its curation practices meet those commitments and consumer expectations, and to “take prompt corrective measures” if they do not.

As of now, Apple has not publicly responded to the letter.