NewsGuard Sues FTC Over Media Bias Probe

0:00From the Daily News Now Network, this is Durham News Today. NewsGuard Technologies has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Trade Commission and its chairman to halt an ongoing investigation. The FTC accuses the company of suppressing conservative media by raiding sites low and steering advertisers away. NewsGuard insists it's simply evaluating journalism credibility and reliability. The company, started in 2018, reviews thousands of news sites and charges subscribers about $5.95 a month. Its main customers include ad firms and AI developers seeking trustworthy sources. A big clash came with Trump supporter Newsmax, which got just a 20 out of 100 for basic standards violations. Newsmax blasts NewsGuard's founders as liberal activists out to censor conservatives. The co-founder Steve Brill pushes back, noting his early work for Republican mayor and decades as a straight journalist with no political donations. Studies from conservative groups claim the raiding spavor left-leaning outlets anyway.

1:04Since President Trump took office in January 2025, his regulators have ramped up media fights. They sued outlets like the Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times, settled with CBS and pro-groups like media, matters for ad boy cuts. The FTC defends its probe as a routine antitrust check on boycotts, demanding years of news guard documents and lists. The company calls it burdensome and fears retaliation against clients. Officials say the suit is baseless and wonder why it took eight months to file. D&N is brought to you by our sponsor link in the description. It is a pillow that plays your podcast and music without earbuds, built for listening in bed, so I solely pillow.com