Google and Meta suppressed health ads in developing countries

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Google and Meta restricted ads, information, and promotional awareness campaigns on reproductive health claims a report. Compiled by MSI Reproductive Choices and the Center for Countering Digital Hate, the report adds these companies are responsible for the limited access to local abortion providers’ ads.

Two of the biggest online companies have allowed misinformation campaigns on access to female healthcare. The report accuses Meta and Google of stifling information about pregnancies, birth control, and abortion rights. This allowed propaganda material to spread in developing countries, alleges the report.

Did Google and Meta restrict access to reproductive health awareness campaigns?

A new report claims Google and Meta weren’t allowing the flow of information about female reproductive health. It is compiled by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and MSI Reproductive Choices.

The report allegedly documents Meta and Google’s track record of arbitrarily restricting ads. It claims these tech giants hindered consistent efforts by multiple agencies to offer and promote information about abortion and reproductive rights.

Essentially, the ad-serving mechanisms of Google and Meta are under scrutiny. Incidentally, access to information about abortion rights, birth control, and reproductive health in general, is quite easy in developed countries.

The report accuses Google and Meta of malpractice, and allowing misinformation campaigns, in developing countries. Specifically speaking, the report claims women in Africa, Asia, and Latin America do not have adequate access to such direly needed information because of these companies.

How did Google and Meta allow misinformation to spread?

According to the report, researchers gathered evidence through correspondence and interviews with MSI’s teams in select locations. Additional information flowed in from an analysis of Meta’s Ad Library.

Meta’s ad-serving mechanisms displayed and profited from false or misleading anti-abortion ads in Ghana and Mexico, claims the report. Analysts discovered that between 2019 and 2024, ads with incorrect and false information had amassed over a million impressions.

One of the ad campaigns that was shown to the local population claimed that “global powers and international companies paid for decriminalizing abortion movements to eliminate the Mexican population.”

Anti-social elements also used Meta-owned WhatsApp to push propaganda. Conspiracies such as family planning being a method to depopulate Africa, were circulated. MSI workers were branded as Satan’s workers who were “introducing ‘satanic’ sexual education in schools to ‘destroy the youth.’”

Easy access to reproductive health has been a challenge, especially in third-world countries and developing nations. MSI has claimed Meta has banned the organization’s ads in Nepal and Vietnam, with no clear justification. Meanwhile, MSI’s team in Ghana claimed Google blocked their ads with the phrase “pregnancy options.”

As expected Meta and Google have strongly denied these allegations. Meta spokesperson, Ryan Daniels, has reportedly stated the company, “allows posts and ads promoting healthcare services, as well as discussion and debate around them.”

Google has reportedly assured the company does not prohibit or limit ads targeting the term pregnancy options. The company’s spokesperson added, “the report does not include a single example of policy-violating content on Google’s platform, nor any examples of inconsistent enforcement.”

2024-03-29 15:07:33