Meta accused by healthcare charities of blocking abortion content
The tech giant Meta has been accused by abortion providers of limiting their content in the US and Central America.
MSI Reproductive Choices (an international non-government agency that provides reproductive healthcare) and Plan C Pills (an information resource helping people with understanding safe, at-home abortions) claims Meta, which owns social media platform Facebook and messaging service WhatsApp, have censored their services.
The WhatsApp for Business account of the leading abortion provider in Mexico, Fundación MSI (part of MSI Reproductive Choices), has been suspended, which has led to an immediate 80 per cent drop in people booking appointments. WhatsApp was the primary channel for people seeking reproductive care, with MSI Reproductive Choices now fighting to get the platform reinstated. Abortion was only decriminalised in Mexico in 2023, when the Supreme Court ruled the denial of a termination violated the human rights of women. However, it is still difficult to access safe abortions outside Mexico City.
'MSI is the leading abortion provider in Mexico and trusted by thousands of women every month with their reproductive choices,' Araceli López-Nava, Regional Managing Director for MSI Latin America, told Cosmopolitan UK. 'Yet, Meta has consistently censored our content on abortion, contraception, and sex education, over-implementing its policies to block access to essential information on sexual and reproductive healthcare.
'It was a lifeline for women seeking safe abortion care, and without it, many will have no option but to put their health and lives on the line with an unsafe, backstreet service. In the face of growing attacks on reproductive health and rights, we call on Meta to reinstate our account and support women to make the choices that are right for them.'
This is not the first time that Meta has been accused of censoring content relating to women's health. Breast pump advertisements have previously been incorrectly flagged as inappropriate, and posts containing anatomically correct language such as 'vulva' have been deemed as sexual on some instances.
In response, a spokesperson for Meta said in a statement: 'The account was banned for breaking our terms – there is a lot of information on our website about what is and is not allowed and the enforcement policies.
'Any business that receives a high rate of negative feedback is given warnings before the account is banned. To reiterate, the team reviewed the ban against the terms outlined on the website and have found it was valid.'
Meanwhile, in the States, abortion pills information campaign Plan C has also faced censorship, with Meta suspending their advertising account without warning - disrupting access to medically accurate information. Ten of their educational posts containing information about reproductive health, were also removed from the platform in 24 hours.
Data from Plan C shows when they were able to boost content through Meta ads, their reach increased by over a million users per month.
'Big Tech platforms and U.S. policies are fuelling and increasing a global wave of digital suppression that is creating unnecessary and worse health outcomes in every country,' says Matha Dimitratou, a digital strategist for Plan C Pills.
'These decisions are often driven by automated moderation systems that misidentify accurate reproductive health content as 'harmful' or 'sensitive'. Even when reviewed by a human, the appeals process lacks transparency and often upholds flawed decisions. This is a public health and information crisis, and it's putting people's lives at risk.'
In response, a spokesperson for Meta told Cosmopolitan UK: 'In the case of Plan C, we investigated this and found we mistakenly removed the content and have now restored all content. We have confirmed that there have been no additional or new issues with the account since earlier this year, and they are now running as normal.
'We want our platforms to be a place where people can access reliable information about health services, such as abortion, advertisers can promote health services, and everyone can discuss and debate public policies in this space.
'That's why Meta allows posts and ads promoting health care services like abortion, as well as discussion and debate around them. Content about abortion, regardless of political perspective, must follow our rules, including those on prescription drugs, misinformation, and coordinating harm.'
Women's reproductive rights are facing fresh challenges from anti-abortion groups, particularly in the US. Since the overturning of Roe vs Wade, access to safe abortions have been limited or outright outlawed in several US states.
The UK is also facing challenges. The National Police Chiefs' Council has recently issued guidance in the UK telling officers how to search women's phones, menstrual-tracking apps and homes following a pregnancy loss, if they're suspected of having had an illegal abortion.
Abortion is still technically illegal in England and Wales, thanks to a law dating back to 1861.
To call for urgent reform to abortion laws in England and Wales, Cosmopolitan UK has now joined forces with BPAS, the UK's leading abortion care service, on a new campaign, End 1861. Read all about in more detail, here.
Kimberley Bond is a Multiplatform Writer for Harper's Bazaar, focusing on the arts, culture, careers and lifestyle. She previously worked as a Features Writer for Cosmopolitan UK, and has bylines at The Telegraph, The Independent and British Vogue among countless others.
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