FTC warns Google over alleged political bias in Gmail spam filters

The Federal Trade Commission has notified Alphabet of possible violations after reports suggest Gmail's spam system may unfairly block Republican emails.

What happened

FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson has issued a formal letter to Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, raising concerns over Gmail’s spam filtering practices. The warning follows a New York Post report claiming Gmail disproportionately flags Republican fundraising emails as “dangerous spam” while allowing similar messages from Democrats to pass through to users’ inboxes. Ferguson said such practices could amount to “unfair or deceptive acts” under the FTC Act.

Going deeper

The letter suggests that Gmail’s filters could have a tangible impact on political engagement, such as preventing users from receiving information they expect or making donations. The alleged imbalance, if true, could trigger an FTC investigation and enforcement action.

Google responded via a spokesperson, stating that Gmail’s spam filters rely on objective signals such as user reports and email behavior, not political affiliation. The company affirmed that these systems apply equally to all senders and that it would review the FTC letter and engage with the commission.

This comes amid a broader political backdrop. Republican figures have repeatedly accused major tech platforms of political bias, particularly in how content is flagged, ranked, or removed.

What was said

“If Gmail’s filters keep Americans from receiving speech they expect, or donating as they see fit, the filters may harm American consumers,” Ferguson wrote. “Any act or practice inconsistent with the FTC Act’s obligations could lead to an FTC investigation and potential enforcement action.”

In response, a Google spokesperson said: “Our spam filters look at a variety of objective signals… regardless of political ideology,” and that the company looks forward to engaging constructively with the FTC.

FAQs

What authority does the FTC have over email services like Gmail?

The FTC enforces laws against unfair or deceptive practices that affect consumers. If Gmail’s filtering behavior is found to be misleading or discriminatory, the FTC can investigate and potentially take enforcement action under the FTC Act.

Are Gmail users able to control or modify how spam filters work?

Yes, users can mark messages as “not spam” and create filters to ensure emails from specific senders reach their inbox, but most filtering is automated and based on user behavior and system signals.

Has Google been investigated by the FTC for similar issues before?

Google has faced FTC scrutiny in the past, primarily around privacy and antitrust concerns. This is among the first public warnings focused specifically on alleged partisan filtering in Gmail.