US Lawmaker Urges Google To Evaluate Search Results That Point To Fake Abortion Sites

The results of a Google search about abortion are disputed by US lawmakers. (photo: doc. pixabay)

JAKARTA - A group of US lawmakers have signed a letter to Google urging the company to re-evaluate its treatment of search results about "abortion clinics" that direct users to anti-abortion crisis centers rather than legitimate clinics.

Senator Mark Warner and Representative Elissa Slotkin, Reuters reported, are leading the initiative. While several other Democratic lawmakers have signed a letter in support.

The letter cited research published by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), which focused on Google search results on “trigger law states” – or 13 states where abortion would be illegal if the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Research shows that 11 percent of Google searches in state trigger laws for "abortion clinic near me" and "abortion pills" lead users to "fake" clinics that try to prevent women from having abortions. The problem is even more prominent on Google Maps, as CCDH found that 37 percent of abortion-related map searches led to fake clinics.

In their letter to Google, lawmakers asked the search giant if it would limit or label these kinds of results going forward.

"Directing women to bogus clinics that spread misinformation and do not provide comprehensive healthcare services is certainly harmful to women's health and undermines the integrity of Google search results," the letter reads. "If Google is to continue showing these misleading results in search results and Google Maps, at least the results should be labeled accordingly."

Ads on Google also seem to be affected by this issue. According to CCDH, nearly 28 percent of ads appear at the top of search results pages for abortion-related questions relating to anti-choice clinics.

In 2019, Google began requiring companies running abortion ads to state whether or not they provide abortion services. For companies that don't actually perform the procedure, Google places a "Not providing abortion" disclaimer below the ad, but CCDH notes some users may not always be aware of it.

"Any organization that wishes to advertise to people seeking information about abortion services on Google must be certified and show disclosures in the ad that clearly state whether or not they offer abortions," Google spokesman Nicolas Lopez said in an emailed statement to The Verge.

"We're always looking for ways to improve our results to help people find what they're looking for, or understand if what they're looking for may not be available."

The Supreme Court is expected to announce its decision on Roe v. Wade in the coming days. But the leaked draft decision obtained by Politico could mean the Court is planning to overturn the landmark decision.

In preparation for the upcoming decision, another group of Democratic lawmakers is also urging Google to stop collecting location data from Android users, as this information could potentially be used to prosecute someone who has had an abortion in a state that opposes the procedure.