A conservative media watchdog is accusing Apple and Google of giving embattled former Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner months of political cover by allegedly burying negative news about his campaign until his candidacy was already collapsing.
According to a new study from the Media Research Center (MRC) obtained by Fox News Digital, Apple News and Google News surfaced virtually none of the negative reporting surrounding Platner between November 2025 and May 2026—even as conservative outlets published stories about controversies including his Nazi tattoo and offensive Reddit posts.
The watchdog says the alleged blackout began after polling suggested Platner was Democrats’ strongest challenger to incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins and didn’t lift until after The New York Times reported on Platner’s sexting controversy on May 30.
MRC claims Apple News and Google News failed to feature at least 112 stories from conservative-leaning outlets examining Platner during that six-month stretch.
MRC President David Bozell argued the timing was no coincidence.
“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,” Bozell said. “Then the polls turned, Platner became a liability, and suddenly the blackout ended. News judgment had nothing to do with it.”
Bozell went even further, accusing the platforms of depriving millions of users of information while Platner remained politically viable.
“Millions of smartphone users were denied the truth while Platner was politically useful and finally allowed to see it once he wasn’t,” he said.
Hannity’s Highlights
A new MRC study alleges Apple News and Google News largely suppressed negative coverage of Graham Platner for months — the watchdog group says the platforms consistently failed to surface damaging stories about the Democratic candidate.
MRC says more than 100 conservative news stories about Platner were never surfaced — pointing to a sustained pattern of omission rather than isolated incidents.
Google strongly disputes the findings, calling the methodology flawed and rejecting any suggestion of bias — the company pushed back directly on the study’s conclusions.
The report lands after Platner exited the Maine Senate race amid multiple sexual misconduct allegations he has denied — raising fresh questions about whether earlier coverage could have changed the trajectory of the race.
Google flatly rejected the allegations, arguing the study fundamentally misunderstands how Google News operates.
“These claims are totally false and based on a completely flawed methodology,” a Google spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “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.”
The report arrives just days after Platner formally ended his Senate campaign following multiple sexual misconduct allegations from two former partners. Platner has denied the allegations against him.
Negative news about alleged rapist Graham Platner was suppressed by Big Tech, shocking study finds https://t.co/Oz4TtTLxQD pic.twitter.com/49swxVv9Ki
— New York Post (@nypost) July 13, 2026
