The letter stated that companies “that suppress or promote news articles in their news aggregators or feeds based on the perceived ideological or political viewpoint of the article or publication may violate the FTC Act .“
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Andrew Ferguson sent a letter to Apple’s Chief Executive Officer, Tim Cook, this month to remind the company of its responsibilities under federal law. The letter came as a response to reports that Apple News suppresses certain ideological news sources while boosting others.
The letter stated, “Big Tech companies that suppress or promote news articles in their news aggregators or feeds based on the perceived ideological or political viewpoint of the article or publication may violate the FTC Act if that suppression or promotion (1) is inconsistent with the terms and conditions of service; (2) is contrary to consumers’ reasonable expectations such that failure to disclose the ideological favoritism is a material omission; or (3) when those practices cause substantial injury that is neither reasonably avoidable nor outweighed by countervailing benefits to consumers or competition.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Chairman Ferguson as he presides over the Federal Trade Commission.
- For FTC members as they seek to ensure tech companies comply with federal laws and regulations.
Sources: Federal Trade Commission
