According to USA Today, some Democratic members of Congress have asked Alphabet Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sundar Pichai to address concerns about Google search and Maps results for abortion information, including “fake anti-abortion clinics” .
Democratic Senator Mark
And Alyssa Slotkin wrote in a paper titled “particularly concerning,” a report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a non-profit organization.
The CCDH report found 37% of Google Maps results and 11% of Google searches for “abortion clinic near me” and “abortion pill” in states with “trigger laws” take effect either automatically or through expedited state action. If Roe v Wade were to reversed, “counterfeit anti-abortion clinics”.
These clinics, also called “crisis pregnancy centers” or “pregnancy resource centers,” do not provide abortions and “try to turn women away from certain health decisions,” the legislators wrote.
The CCDH report also found that 28% of Google ads displayed at the top of search results were for anti-abortion clinics, the report said.
Find stories that interest you
An ad for a Mississippi clinic appeared to offer free abortion consultations, but upon viewing its website, the CCDH said it found that the clinic does not perform abortions or provide referrals for the procedure.
“Across our products, we work to make high quality information easily accessible, especially on important health topics,” the tech giant was quoted as saying in a statement to USA News.
The company said, “Any organization that intends to advertise on Google to people seeking information about abortion services must be certified and must display a disclosure within the ad that clearly states that they offer abortion or No.”
