The letter told Apple it must not misrepresent Apple News or breach its terms of service and reminded Apple of general consumer‑protection obligations under Section 5 of the FTC Act — i.e., to avoid unfair or deceptive acts such as (1) acting inconsistently with its terms and conditions, (2) failing to disclose material omissions that contradict consumers’ reasonable expectations (e.g., undisclosed ideological favoritism), and (3) engaging in practices that cause substantial, non‑avoidable consumer injury.
The FTC said it sent the letter after reports and multiple studies (including a Media Research Center analysis) alleged Apple News had been promoting left‑leaning outlets and excluding conservative ones; the letter cites those reports as the basis for raising questions — not a filed lawsuit.
A warning letter is primarily a formal notice — it does not itself impose fines or penalties. The FTC uses warning letters to say conduct may be unlawful and to urge companies to fix problems; if the company does not remedy issues, the FTC can pursue enforcement (including civil litigation or other remedies) later.
Ferguson asked Apple to review Apple News’ curation practices and representations to users and to take corrective action if the reports are accurate — i.e., to ensure Apple News’ behavior matches its terms of service and consumer expectations; the letter raises specific legal standards and warns Apple it could violate the FTC Act if it misleads users. (The press release and letter do not announce a required formal remedy or a deadline.)
The full warning letter and related materials are posted by the FTC: the press release and the PDF warning letter are on the FTC website (see links).
If the FTC concludes Apple violated consumer‑protection law it could seek enforcement through remedies such as ordering corrective disclosures, requiring changes to practices (consent orders), civil penalties (in some contexts), or filing a federal civil enforcement action seeking injunctive relief and other remedies; a warning letter is an early step before possible formal enforcement.