By Solange Reyner | Wednesday, 18 March 2026 04:38 PM EDT
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt cited a new study on Wednesday alleging bias in Google News results, arguing the findings reveal a lack of balance in how major technology platforms distribute information to Americans.
Leavitt referenced a report from the Media Research Center (MRC), a conservative watchdog group, which claimed only 2% of top morning stories on Google News came from outlets it identified as conservative. The analysis focused on headline placements during early hours—a period when many users check news updates to start their day.
The MRC stated this reflects broader imbalances in digital media ecosystems where left-leaning or mainstream outlets dominate visibility. The organization categorized news sources by ideological alignment and tracked their frequency in prominent Google News positions.
Leavitt said the report underscores longstanding conservative concerns that major technology companies wield outsized influence over public discourse without sufficient accountability.
The study arrives amid ongoing political scrutiny of Big Tech firms, particularly regarding algorithmic content prioritization. Republicans have frequently argued companies like Google suppress conservative viewpoints, while Democrats emphasize combating misinformation and harmful content online.
Google has consistently rejected claims of political bias in its products, asserting its news aggregation systems prioritize relevance, timeliness, and source authority—not ideology—to determine which stories appear prominently.
Media analysts caution that studies measuring bias in news aggregation are difficult to evaluate objectively. Classifying outlets by political leaning is often subjective, with differences in newsroom size, publishing frequency, and audience reach influencing which stories gain visibility.
Despite these caveats, the report is likely to intensify demands from lawmakers for greater oversight of tech platforms. Leavitt did not outline specific policy proposals but noted the administration remains attentive to concerns about fairness in digital information distribution.
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax with more than 15 years in journalism covering news, sports, and politics.
