United States of America: Federal Trade Commission issued warning letter to Alphabet over alleged partisan Gmail spam filtering in violation of Federal Trade Commission Act

On 28 August 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent a letter to Alphabet regarding alleged partisan spam filtering in Google Mail (Gmail). The FTC indicated that the practices in question may constitute a potential violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce. The letter referred to reports that Gmail’s filters blocked emails from Republican sources while permitting similar communications from Democratic sources. According to the FTC, such practices could mislead consumers and affect political communication, expression, and contributions. The FCT noted that Alphabet’s failure to address these concerns could lead to further investigation and enforcement action.