A new report discovered that Meta and Google are limiting access to reproductive health information in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. MSI Reproductive Choices and the Center for Countering Digital Hate partnered on the report and allege that the companies are restricting local abortion providers’ ads and allowing misinformation to spread.
In Mexico, abortion was decriminalized in 2023, but services are not yet legal in all states. Meta is not allowing MSI to share abortion-related ad content in the country due to remaining bans. Other sexual and reproductive health content has also been blocked in Mexico, Nepal, and Vietnam. Meta allegedly removed ads promoting cervical cancer screenings, IUDs, and contraceptive pills in these countries without clear justification. Google blocked ads related to “pregnancy options” in Ghana.
Whitney Chinogwenya, a marketing specialist at MSI Reproductive Choices, criticized the tech platforms for neglecting women and girls by prioritizing profit over accurate information. Teams in Ghana, Kenya, and Nepal struggled to connect with Meta and understand why their ads were limited. Kenya, Nigeria, and Vietnam faced issues with imitation Facebook pages and websites that were scamming prospective clients.
Researchers collected evidence through correspondence and interviews with MSI teams in various countries. They also analyzed Meta’s Ad Library and found evidence of false or misleading anti-abortion ads in Ghana and Mexico. Reports of abuse directed at MSI workers in Kenya were allegedly ignored by Meta.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate’s founder, Imran Ahmed, accused social media companies of prioritizing profit over protecting human rights in the Global South. Meta and Google are reviewing the findings but maintain that they have policies against misinformation and misleading content.
Interested parties can reach out to Meta and Google for further comment.
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