Meta and Google Accused of Spreading Abortion Misinformation in Developing Countries

A new report highlights how Meta and Google platforms have been implicated in restricting legitimate abortion information while allowing misinformation to proliferate in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

• A report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate and MSI Reproductive Choices accuses Meta and Google of restricting legitimate abortion information and furthering misinformation across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• Meta is reported to have rejected or removed ads from MSI in Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, and Vietnam, citing reasons such as 'sensitive content'.
• Fake pages and websites imitating MSI's content have been found on Google and Facebook, posing risks to users in Kenya, Nigeria, and Vietnam.
• Anti-abortion ads, some placed by U.S.-based groups, have been allowed to run on Meta's platforms, viewed millions of times, and spread misinformation about the safety of abortion drugs.
• The report emphasizes the crucial need for accurate information in countries with restrictive abortion laws and high maternal mortality rates, where social media is a key source of health information.

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