United States: to have an abortion, Google Maps can take you to a pro-life establishment

When it comes to abortion, the king of research loses its shine. Pregnant people seeking abortions were shocked to be led by Google Maps to “fake clinics.” Beyond not offering abortions, these centers have proven to be pro-life establishments.

These places are non-medical organizations called “crisis pregnancy center” (CPC), translatable as “emergency pregnancy center”. Often religious, they do not offer abortions and do not redirect people to clinics that perform them, as Ars Technica points out. Rather, their role is to advocate that women continue their pregnancy at all costs.

Up to nine out of ten incorrect results

Seen in 2018, the problem is well identified. But while the US Supreme Court has struck down abortion rights, the misdirection of Google’s mapping service takes on particular significance.

Since that decision, ten states have made abortion illegal and four have limited the legal time to terminate a pregnancy. Above all, some states, like Texas, can prosecute people who have helped women who want abortions. Creating a sense of isolation, abortion candidates often turn to Google to guide them to a center that performs the operation.

The Bloomberg media has highlighted that Google offers up to nine “fake establishments” in the first ten results displayed (this is the case of Mississippi). The US site has counted thirteen states where at least half of the top ten search engine results point to a facility that does not perform abortions.

With misleading images and facility descriptions, these pro-life facilities manage to be identified as abortion sites. Also, their websites go to great lengths to hide their true intentions.

A political dimension

Google itself is taking on the problem, as a spokesperson told Bloomberg. The company strives to present relevant and accurate results to its users. Through its rules, the search engine strives to eliminate establishments that present themselves under a false identity. It still needs to be reported or detected.

From now on, the issue takes on a political dimension. Shortly after the abortion repeal, Democratic lawmakers pressed Google to provide accurate results to people seeking abortions.

But the following month, it was Republican prosecutors who put pressure on the company. They asked that emergency pregnancy centers not be discriminated against in search engine results. Thus ensuring a good reference for pro-life establishments, supported by many Republicans.

Caught in the crossfire, Google has so far been fairly accommodating to women seeking abortions. The company announced on July 1 that all data related to family planning visits would be deleted. At the same time, special surveillance has been put on Youtube (owned by Google) to remove any content that spreads false information about abortion or provides dangerous methods of carrying out the operation.