The FTC thinks Gmail is discriminating with “partisan” spam filters

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Gmail continues to face spam filtering allegations

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  • The US FTC Chairman has written directly to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai
  • Andrew Ferguson accuses Gmail of having “partisan” spam filters
  • Google said filters “apply equally… regardless of political ideology”

FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson has accused Google of “partisan” Gmail spam filtering which discriminates against certain political parties.

In a letter to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai dated August 28, 2025, Ferguson claimed Republican fundraising emails are being flagged as spam, while Democratic emails continue to be delivered successfully.

Ferguson warned this could violate the FTC Act’s prohibition of unfair or deceptive trade practices, suggesting that an investigation and possible enforcement could be on the cards.

Gmail once again targeted over political email spam filtering

“My understanding from recent reporting is that Gmail’s spam filters routinely block messages from reaching consumers when those messages come from Republican senders but fail to block similar messages sent by Democrats,” Ferguson summarizes.

The complaint cites a New York Post article, which revealed that identical emails with WinRed (Republican) and ActBlue (Democratic) donation links were treated differently by Gmail.

Google has already responded to these allegations previously, with company spokesperson José Castañeda said: “Email filter protections are in place to keep our users safe.”

The filters “apply equally to all senders, regardless of political ideology.”

“A consumer’s right to hear from candidates or parties, including solicitations for donations, is not diminished because that consumer’s political preferences may run counter to your company’s or your employees’ political preferences,” Ferguson wrote.

This isn’t the first time that Google has been accused of political bias in its Gmail spam filtering. In 2022, an RNC lawsuit claimed the company had unfairly filtered Republican emails, but the US District Court dismissed the case on the basis of a lack of evidence. RNC has since revived the case.

TechRadar Pro has asked Google for an updated commented in response to the FTC’s August 2025 letter – any response will be posted here.

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Craig Hale
Craig Hale

With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

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