Apple is currently navigating a storm of regulatory and public scrutiny. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued a formal warning to CEO Tim Cook, suggesting that the curation practices of the Apple News service might actually break consumer protection laws due to alleged political bias.
FTC issues formal warning to Tim Cook over Apple News curation
The Media Research Center (MRC), a conservative watchdog group, sent out the warning. Their research involved 620 stories that got featured placement on Apple News in January 2026. According to their findings, the platform did not feature a single article from right-leaning outlets in its prominent “morning editions” during that period. Instead, the feed heavily favored publications categorized as left-leaning or centrist.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson argues that this lack of variety might constitute a “material omission.” He says that if people expect a fair or neutral news feed from Cupertino’s tech giant but only get a one-sided selection, the company may be breaking the FTC Act. Ferguson clarified that while the FTC does not act as “speech police,” it must ensure companies do not mislead their users about the nature of their products.
A pattern of friction
This legal warning lands at a complicated time for Tim Cook. For the past year, Cook has actively tried to maintain a positive relationship with the White House. He has even made high-profile appearances at official events. However, these efforts have not shielded the company from intense criticism regarding its editorial choices and app store policies.
Internally, Apple faces questions about how its human editors and algorithms select which stories reach millions of devices. Apple maintains that users can customize their feeds by following their favorite topics. The FTC, on the other hand, is now telling the company to do a full review of how it curates news to make sure it matches what it says in public.
Not the only headache for Apple News
Beyond the political debate, the platform is struggling with a different kind of backlash. Many readers have recently complained about a decline in the overall quality of the app’s experience. The root of the issue seems to be a partnership with Taboola, which has flooded the user’s news feed with a lot of low-quality, AI-generated ads.
Those who previously enjoyed a premium, “clean” reading environment now find themselves scrolling past “clickbait”-style ads. This shift, combined with the new legal threats from the FTC, puts Apple News in a defensive position. The company must now find a way to satisfy federal regulators while simultaneously cleaning up its ad experience to keep its massive user base from looking elsewhere for their daily briefing.
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