The Federal Trade Commission is pressing Apple to investigate potential political bias in its Apple News app, following allegations that the platform favors left-leaning news sources while suppressing conservative publications. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook on February 11, 2026, requesting a “comprehensive review” of the app’s curation policies.
The inquiry stems from a study released by the conservative watchdog group Media Research Center (MRC), which analyzed the top 20 articles featured in Apple News’ morning editions throughout January 2026. According to the MRC, none of those articles originated from right-leaning outlets, including Fox News, the New York Post, the Daily Mail, Breitbart, and The Gateway Pundit. Instead, the featured articles came from sources such as The Washington Post, The Associated Press, NBC News, The Wall Street Journal, and Reuters.
Ferguson’s letter cites Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits “unfair or deceptive acts or practices,” including misrepresentations or omissions to consumers. The chairman argued that if Apple News’ curation practices are inconsistent with its terms of service or consumer expectations, or if they cause substantial harm to consumers, they could constitute a violation of the Act. The letter specifically notes that suppressing or promoting articles based on ideological viewpoint could be problematic.
“Big Tech companies that suppress or promote news articles…based on the perceived ideological or political viewpoint…may violate the FTC Act,” Ferguson wrote to Cook. He further stated that while the First Amendment protects the speech of technology firms, it does not shield them from conduct deemed unfair by Congress under the FTC Act.
The MRC study builds on earlier research from December 2025, and its findings were reported by The New York Post the day before Ferguson’s letter. President Trump shared the New York Post report on his Truth Social account on Wednesday, February 11th.
Ferguson’s letter urges Cook to examine Apple’s terms of service and ensure that Apple News’ curation aligns with those terms and representations made to consumers. He requests that Apple take “corrective action swiftly” if discrepancies are found.
As of February 12, 2026, Apple has not issued a public response to Ferguson’s letter or the allegations raised by the MRC studies.
