FTC Calls on Apple to Review Alleged Political Bias in Apple News

FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson requests Tim Cook investigate reports of conservative news censorship on Apple's news platform.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has called on Apple CEO Tim Cook to review potential political bias in the curation of Apple News after allegations that the platform is suppressing conservative news outlets. FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson cited a study from the conservative Media Research Center that found right-leaning news outlets were not featured in a sample of 620 stories during morning time slots on Apple News.

Why it matters

The FTC letter raises concerns about potential political favoritism in Apple's news aggregation platform, which could violate consumer expectations around unbiased news curation. As a major gatekeeper of news content, Apple News wields significant influence over which stories gain visibility, making allegations of ideological bias a matter of public interest.

The details

In his letter to Tim Cook, FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson acknowledged that Apple has the legal right to promote any content it chooses on Apple News. However, he suggested the company's curation practices may be "contrary to consumers' reasonable expectations" around ideological neutrality, which could constitute a material omission under the FTC Act. The FTC is requesting Apple conduct a "comprehensive review" of its Apple News practices and take corrective action if the platform is found to be systematically favoring certain political viewpoints.

  • The FTC letter was posted to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.

The players

Andrew Ferguson

The Chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the independent U.S. government agency responsible for protecting consumers and promoting competition.

Tim Cook

The CEO of Apple Inc., the technology company that owns and operates the Apple News news aggregation platform.

Media Research Center

A conservative media watchdog group that conducted a study alleging Apple News was not featuring right-leaning news outlets during high-traffic time slots.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who shared a New York Post article about the Media Research Center study on his Truth Social account.

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What they’re saying

“Recently, there have been reports that Apple News has systematically promoted news articles from left-wing news outlets and suppressed news articles from more conservative publications.”

— Andrew Ferguson, FTC Chair (X (formerly Twitter)

“We do not have the authority to require Apple or any other firm to take affirmative positions on any political issue, nor to curate news offerings consistent with one ideology or another.”

— Andrew Ferguson, FTC Chair (X (formerly Twitter)

What’s next

The FTC is requesting that Apple CEO Tim Cook undergo a "comprehensive review" of the company's Apple News curation practices and take corrective action if the platform is found to be systematically favoring certain political viewpoints over others.

The takeaway

This FTC inquiry highlights the growing scrutiny over the political neutrality of major tech platforms that serve as gatekeepers for news and information. As a dominant news aggregator, Apple News wields significant influence, and allegations of ideological bias could undermine public trust in the platform's ability to provide unbiased access to news content.