Gmail gets a warning: Don’t mark ‘political emails’ as spam..

Gmail warning: FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson has warned Google’s parent Alphabet over allegations that Gmail’s spam filters unfairly target Republican emails.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a warning to Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc., raising concerns about whether Gmail’s spam filtering system unfairly targets Republican emails. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson sent a letter to CEO Sundar Pichai, stressing that the agency is taking the allegations of email suppression “seriously.”

FTC chief Andrew Ferguson has warned Google over claims Gmail spam filters unfairly target Republican emails.

By MD Ijaj Khan

Ijaj Khan is a technology journalist and Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, with over three years of experience covering the consumer technology industry. His work spans smartphones, laptops, wearables, gaming, appliances and AI - from hands-on reviews, comparison and buying guides to breaking news and in-depth features that help readers cut through the noise and make informed decisions. Before joining HT Tech, he worked with Jagran New Media, where he sharpened his instincts for fast-paced digital reporting. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Whether he's testing the latest flagship smartphone, tracking a major AI announcement, or putting a gaming laptop through its paces, Ijaj approaches every story with the same goal - making technology feel relevant and easy to understand for everyday users, not just enthusiasts. When he's not in front of a screen for work, he's usually travelling to a new city, hunting for great food, or keeping tabs on what's next in tech before everyone else catches on.

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The warning follows repeated complaints from congressional Republicans, who have long accused Google of directing their campaign messages to spam folders. Earlier this year, several lawmakers urged the FTC to investigate whether Gmail was being used to suppress political communication.

In his letter, Ferguson said: “I write due to recent reporting that suggests Alphabet's administration of Gmail is designed to have partisan effects, and accordingly to notify you that Alphabet may be engaging in unfair or deceptive acts or practices. I write to inform you of your obligations under the FTC Act. Any act or practice inconsistent with these obligations could lead to an FTC investigation and potential enforcement action.”

Google has consistently denied political bias in Gmail’s filtering system. Responding to the FTC warning, Google spokesperson Jenn Crider told Axios: “Gmail's spam filters look at a variety of objective signals – like whether people mark a particular email as spam, or if a particular ad agency is sending a high volume of emails that are often marked by people as spam. This applies equally to all senders, regardless of political ideology. We will review this letter and look forward to engaging constructively.”

Republicans have repeatedly accused big tech companies of discriminating against conservative voices, although regulators and courts have not found sufficient evidence to prove political bias. In 2023, the Federal Election Commission dismissed a complaint alleging Gmail favoured Democrats over Republicans, with both parties on the commission agreeing to close the case. Later, a federal judge also dismissed a related lawsuit, noting it was a “close case” but concluding that the Republican National Committee had not “sufficiently pled that Google acted in bad faith.”

The debate over how Gmail handles political emails is unlikely to settle soon, with Republicans continuing to view Google’s practices with suspicion, while the company maintains that its filters operate the same way for everyone.