Trump FTC sends letter to Apple over alleged political bias in its information app

[ad_1] NEW Now you can hearken to Fox Information articles!

The Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) despatched a letter to Apple about allegations the tech big's information curation app has a political bias.

In a letter addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook Wednesday, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson warned that Apple Information could possibly be in violation of Part 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair or misleading acts or practices.

"The First Amendment protects the speech of Huge Tech companies. However the First Modification has by no means prolonged its safety to materials misrepresentations made to shoppers, nor does it immunize audio system from conduct that Congress has deemed unfair underneath the FTC Act, even when that conduct includes speech," Ferguson advised Cook dinner.

APPLE NEWS BOOSTS LEFT-LEANING NEWS OUTLETS, SHUTS OUT CONSERVATIVE SOURCES: WATCHDOG

The FTC despatched a letter to Apple with alleged bias allegations with its Apple Information curation software. (CFOTO/Future Publishing by way of Getty Pictures)

"Accordingly, Huge Tech firms that suppress or promote information articles of their information aggregators or feeds primarily based on the perceived ideological or political viewpoint of the article or publication could violate the FTC Act if that suppression or promotion (1) is inconsistent with the phrases and circumstances of service; (2) is opposite to shoppers’ affordable expectations such that failure to reveal the ideological favoritism is a fabric omission; or (3) when these practices trigger substantial damage that's neither moderately avoidable nor outweighed by countervailing advantages to shoppers or competitors."

GOOGLE, APPLE URGED BY HOUSE COMMITTEE TO PULL APPS TRACKING ICE AGENTS

The FTC chair recommended that alleged bias in Apple Information' algorithm could violate the platform's personal phrases of service with its shoppers.

"The FTC just isn't the speech police; we shouldn't have authority to require Apple or another agency to take affirmative positions on any political problem, nor to curate information choices according to one ideology or one other. However Congress has mandated that we shield shoppers from materials misrepresentations and omissions, together with when the services or products provided to shoppers is a speech-related product," Ferguson wrote.

Federal Commerce Fee Chairman Andrew Ferguson recommended Apple could possibly be in violation of the FTC Act. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Pictures)

Ferguson closed his letter by urging Cook dinner to "conduct a complete evaluation" of Apple's phrases of service to ensure its curation practices aren't in violation and to "take corrective motion swiftly" if they're.

Neither Cook dinner nor representatives for Apple responded to Fox Information Digital's request for remark.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST MEDIA AND CULTURE NEWS

Ferguson addressed his letter concerning Apple Information' alleged bias to Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner. (Alberto Rodriguez/Selection by way of Getty Pictures)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

A current examine from the Media Analysis Middle, a conservative watchdog group, examined the content material featured on Apple Information, the information aggregator put in on Apple units.

Of 620 tales shared between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, 440 originated from retailers rated as left-leaning, whereas 180 originated from centrist retailers. Zero originated from right-leaning retailers, based on the examine.

Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox Information Digital. Story ideas will be despatched to joseph.wulfsohn@fox.com and on Twitter: @JosephWulfsohn.