Study accuses Big Tech of burying damaging Platner stories

A new study has reportedly revealed that Apple and Google spent months suppressing Graham Platner stories.

According to Fox News Digital, the Media Research Center (MRC) discovered that Apple News and Google News “published zero stories between November of last year and May of this year about the various controversies that muddied Platner’s Senate bid.” Issues like Platner’s problematic Reddit posts and his “Nazi tattoo” were completely ignored, despite ultimately contributing to the downfall of his campaign.

But the timing of the media “blackout” is just too convenient.

“The MRC study said the blackout in coverage began after a poll released in late October suggested Platner was the most formidable Democrat to unseat Maine’s incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins and that the blackout ended following The New York Times’ May 30 report about Platner’s sexting controversy,” Fox News reported.

The study claims the publishers turned a blind eye to “at least 112” stories criticizing Platner within the listed time period, and MRC President David Bozell claims the platforms ran a “protection racket” for the failed politician.

“For months, while Platner looked like the one Democrat who could beat Susan Collins, the two most powerful news apps in America buried scandal after scandal. Then the polls turned, Platner became a liability, and suddenly the blackout ended. News judgment had nothing to do with it,” he said. “Millions of smartphone users were denied the truth while Platner was politically useful and finally allowed to see it once he wasn’t.”

Google dismissed the allegations in a statement.

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“These claims are totally false and based on a completely flawed methodology. The study checked Google News once a day from a single account, ignoring the fact that Google News automatically updates throughout the day, and shows news personalized to your interests and location. You can also easily select sources you want to see more often in News and Search,” a spokesperson said.

X users weighed in:

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Sierra Marlee

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