Hey Google, put safe abortion on the map
Posted by Victory on December 12, 2022 at 11:55 am
Finding a legitimate abortion provider can’t be that hard, can it? Turns out there are more obstacles than you might expect! A quick search on Google Maps shows glaring fake reviews and fake ‘health providers.’ This while, the EU introduced a resolution stating that abortion is a human right and that member states must protect access to abortion by preventing harassment and misinformation.
Fake ‘sexual and reproductive health providers’ represent themselves online as real abortion care providers but actually exist to dissuade people from making a truly free choice about their sexual health. Online anti-choice actors also use Google Maps to submit fake reviews about legitimate abortion providers, writing graphic and false accounts designed to scare away people seeking abortion care. And guess what? Google isn’t doing much about it!
We are launching this petition to demand that the EU holds Google – and Big Tech overall- accountable for hosting misinformation and disinformation about safe abortion on their platform. More specifically the European Parliament must urge Google Maps to:
● Adequately monitor fake reviews of accredited abortion providers, swiftly remove these and blocs accounts that post these reviews.
● Remove recommendations and references to anti-choice movements and organizations when people are searching for abortion care facilities. Hereby, flagging anti-choice ‘health providers’ as not providing accurate and comprehensive information for people to take into consideration before reaching out to these institutions/actors.
And we’re not alone. Aid Access, COC Nederland, the Dutch Youth Ambassador for SRHR, EUnitas, Gender Equality & Choice, Feministas en Holanda, Feminists of Maastricht, FIOM, RNW Media, Rutgers, Share-Net Netherlands, Stem op een Vrouw, Women on Waves, Women on Web and WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform are partnering with Shake The Dust to support this petition to make sure we uphold sexual and reproductive rights in Europe.
The EU resolution (#2439, May 2022) was passed in a context where harassment and restriction of abortion rights have been increasing. The Assembly of the Council of Europe has called upon member states to: “provide reliable information on reproductive rights and services, including abortion care, and take the necessary measures to counteract misinformation and disinformation on abortion.” This means they have an obligation to demand transparency and verification from Big Tech like Google.
Want to get involved? You’re in the right place!
- Do you live in the Netherlands/ Are you Dutch? Sign the petition towards the Dutch House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) on De Goede Zaak: https://actie.degoedezaak.org/petitions/google-maps-moet-actie-ondernemen-tegen-nep-abortuszorg-en-beoordelingen
- Do you live in Europe / Are you European? Sign the petition towards the European Parliament: https://www.change.org/p/hey-google-put-safe-abortion-on-the-map?redirect=false
- Share our petitions with everyone you know!
Let’s stand up for abortion rights and make sure every person considering abortion care has the freedom to make the best choice for their body and life!
Co-signatories:
Aid Access
COC Nederland
Dutch Youth Ambassador for SRHR, Gender Equality & Choice at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Choice for Youth and Sexuality
EUnitas
Feministas en Holanda
Feminists of Maastricht
FIOM
RNW Media
Rutgers
Share-Net Netherlands
Stem op een Vrouw
Women on Waves
Women on Web
WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform
Shake The Dust Social Media Accounts:
Instagram: @letsshakethedust
Twitter: @letsshakethedust
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sannethijssen/
Website: shakethedust.co
