Media News Daily: Top Stories for 02/03/2026

NYC Official Urges Ban of Newsmax in Taxis Over Misinformation Concerns

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal is calling on New York City officials to remove Newsmax programming from taxi seat-back screens, citing its history of spreading misinformation. In a January 21 letter, he urged Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) to pressure advertising partner Curb to drop Newsmax or risk losing its TLC-approved vendor status. Curb has aired one-minute Newsmax clips in taxis via its Journey Connect platform since late 2025, offering QR codes to the network’s app. Hoylman-Sigal argues the city shouldn’t promote Newsmax through regulated taxis, given its partisan slant. Newsmax called the move censorship, while Curb defended its platform’s reach. (Read More) (NFN Rating)

UpScrolled Surges to No. 1 App Amid TikTok Censorship, Ownership Concerns

Short-form video app UpScrolled has become the most downloaded free app on Apple’s App Store following the controversial U.S. takeover of TikTok by a consortium linked to Republican donor Larry Ellison. Founded in 2023 by Issam Hijazi, UpScrolled promotes algorithmic transparency and no “shadowbanning,” appealing to users concerned about censorship. The app surpassed one million users this week, amid claims that TikTok has been suppressing content related to ICE protests in Minneapolis. TikTok’s U.S. arm, now called TikTok USDS, is backed by Oracle. (Read More) (MediaPost Rating)

DOJ Opposes Google’s Request to Delay Antitrust Remedies

The U.S. Department of Justice and state attorneys general are pushing back against Google’s attempt to delay a court order requiring it to share search data and ad syndication tools with qualified rivals. The order stems from Judge Amit Mehta’s 2024 ruling that Google unlawfully maintained its dominance in general search and search advertising. Google is appealing and seeking a stay, arguing the measures risk user privacy and advertiser harm. However, government lawyers argue Google’s concerns are speculative and premature, noting that the mandates won’t be enforced until after a technical committee sets standards. (Read More) (MediaPost Rating)