Apple and Google featured virtually no reporting on Platner’s controversies for six months, despite numerous outlets covering his Nazi tattoo, Reddit posts and other damaging allegations.
Apple and Google spent months failing to surface negative news coverage about former Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner before his campaign collapsed under mounting scandals, according to a new study from the Media Research Center (MRC).
The watchdog group found that Apple News and Google News featured virtually no reporting between November 2025 and May 2026 on controversies surrounding Platner, despite numerous stories from outlets covering issues including his Nazi tattoo, offensive Reddit posts, and other damaging allegations.
According to the MRC, the blackout ended only after The New York Times published a report on May 30 detailing Platner's sexting controversy, which triggered broader media scrutiny and ultimately contributed to his political downfall. The study found Apple News and Google News failed to promote at least 112 negative stories about Platner during the six-month period.
MRC President David Bozell concluded that the platforms shielded the Democratic candidate while he remained a viable challenger to Republican rival Susan Collins. "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."
Google rejected the allegations, calling the study's methodology "completely flawed." A Google spokesperson denied the allegations, saying that Google News updates continuously throughout the day and delivers results based only on users' interests and locations.
Platner officially withdrew from his Senate campaign after multiple women accused him of repeated sexual misconduct, physical abuse, and rape. Following the allegations, Democratic leaders rapidly withdrew their support, and Platner announced he would formally remove his name from the ballot.
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