Overview
- FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson sent a formal letter to CEO Tim Cook urging a comprehensive review of Apple News and swift corrective action if practices violate consumer-protection law.
- Ferguson cited a Media Research Center review of 620 top morning placements in January that found no features from outlets classified as right-leaning and hundreds from left-leaning or centrist sources.
- The letter emphasizes that the FTC cannot dictate editorial viewpoints but can act if material misrepresentations or omissions mislead consumers under Section 5 of the FTC Act.
- Apple has said the app provides access to more than 3,000 publications, including Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post, and that users can tailor their feeds.
- The MRC study’s methodology has drawn criticism for narrow sampling and outlet selection, the president amplified the allegations on social media, FCC Chair Brendan Carr voiced support, and no enforcement action has been announced.