When users search for “abortion pill” or “abortion clinic near me” on Google, they are being shown advertisements for crisis pregnancy centers instead. These centers aim to dissuade individuals from accessing abortion services. A report from the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate reveals that Google accepted $10.2 million from anti-abortion groups over two years to display such ads alongside legitimate search results for over 15,000 different abortion-related queries. The ads reached hundreds of thousands of users from March 2021 to February 2023, a period that coincided with the overturning of Roe v. Wade and state attacks on abortion rights, as reported by The Guardian.
This is particularly concerning because 68% of Google searchers cannot distinguish between an ad and a legitimate search result, according to Quartz. CCDH CEO Imran Ahmed criticizes Google for allowing deceptive behavior and failing to ensure that people are properly informed. The report states that fake reproductive health clinics, also known as Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs), appear to provide impartial advice on reproductive healthcare but are actually operated by ideological anti-choice organizations that attempt to shame those seeking abortions. Quartz reveals that 71% of identified CPCs used deceptive advertising, with 16% promoting misleading claims, such as linking abortion to cancer.
Google claims that organizations advertising to users searching for abortion services must be certified and clearly disclose whether they offer abortions or not. However, The Guardian reports that 38% of CPC websites studied did not clearly indicate the absence of abortion services. The report also highlights that Google has become the primary source of referrals to these centers. A previous study by the Tech Transparency Project found that more than half of the search ads presented to Google accounts representing low- to moderate-income women in Phoenix, in response to search terms like “I want an abortion,” were for CPCs. Experts suggest that this discovery is likely to delay or prevent women from accessing safe and legal abortions.
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