"Press Release: Abortion Rights Condemns Google’s Promotion of Anti-Abortion Misinformation"

Abortion Rights expresses deep concern following reports that Google has provided free advertising to a number of anti-abortion organisations in Britain – some of which have a documented history of spreading misinformation about abortion and its health impacts.

According to recent reporting, several groups benefiting from Google’s Ad Grants programme have previously claimed links between abortion and increased risks of suicide, breast cancer, placenta praevia and other conditions – claims repeatedly discredited by medical experts, including the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Despite appearing to offer “unbiased advice”, many of these adverts direct vulnerable women to organisations that are ideologically opposed to abortion and known for providing misleading or medically inaccurate information. This risks causing confusion, distress and delays for those seeking legitimate healthcare.

Big Tech Complicity

This pattern highlights a wider problem of Big Tech complicity in enabling anti-abortion misinformation. Platforms like Google have enormous power over what information people see at moments of vulnerability, yet too often they allow ideologically driven groups to masquerade as neutral healthcare providers. By approving and amplifying adverts that appear credible while directing people toward medically inaccurate or coercive content, tech companies are not passive actors, they are facilitating harm. Without stronger standards and meaningful enforcement, misinformation will continue to flourish under the protection and reach of the world’s largest digital platforms. [...]

A Threat to Informed Choice

Kerry Abel, Chair of Abortion Rights, said:

“It is deeply troubling that major tech platforms are helping anti-abortion organisations push deceptive advertising at the very moment people are searching for trustworthy, evidence-based information. These groups knowingly spread misinformation that has been debunked by leading medical bodies, yet their ads present them as neutral sources of support.”

She continued:

“Google has a responsibility to ensure its advertising tools do not facilitate manipulation or harm. No one seeking healthcare should be misled, delayed, or frightened by organisations whose primary aim is to undermine their reproductive choices.”

Call for Immediate Action

Abortion Rights is calling on Google to:

1. Tighten certification rules for organisations advertising to people seeking abortion care.
   
2. Prioritise medically verified sources, including NHS-linked and regulated reproductive healthcare providers.
   
3. Suspend advertising privileges for groups that have been shown to disseminate false or harmful health claims.
   
4. Increase transparency around the eligibility and oversight of charities using Ad Grants for sensitive health-related advertising. [...] 

In a statement to The National, a Google spokesperson said: “We require any organisation that wants to advertise to people seeking information about abortion services to be certified and clearly disclose whether they do or do not offer abortions. We are committed to ensuring advertisements on this topic are clear and easily understood.”