When individuals are searching for abortion services, they often rely on Google to find relevant information, using search phrases like “abortion clinic near me” or “planned parenthood.” However, the top results they see are often misleading ads for anti-abortion “crisis pregnancy centers,” not actual abortion providers. These centers use various tactics to discourage or delay individuals from obtaining an abortion, which can have serious consequences given the restrictive abortion laws in many areas. To shed light on this issue, the Center for Countering Digital Hate conducted a study revealing that anti-abortion pregnancy centers in the US spent approximately $10.2 million on Google Search ads over a two-year period. These ads were clicked on an estimated 13 million times.
To gather data, the researchers identified 976 websites for anti-abortion pregnancy centers and used the enterprise analytics tool Semrush to analyze which centers actively ran Google search ads between March 2021 and February 2023. They examined the ads, websites, and keywords used by these centers. The study discovered that 38% of the centers advertising on Google during this period did not have a homepage disclaimer stating that they do not provide abortions. This violates Google’s policy, which prohibits ads or destinations that conceal or misstate information about the nature of the advertiser’s business, product, or service.
Anti-abortion pregnancy centers are intentionally vague and confusing in their ads. These centers operate without regulations and are typically nonmedical facilities. Responsible medical bodies, such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, emphasize that these centers have no legal obligation to provide accurate information to pregnant individuals or maintain confidentiality. These centers use false and misleading information, emotional manipulation, and delays to steer individuals away from comprehensive and timely care provided by licensed medical professionals. They may even misrepresent nonmedical staff and volunteers as clinicians by having them wear lab coats and perform ultrasounds.
Digital marketing firms catering to anti-abortion pregnancy centers explicitly outline the ad-buying strategy. Choose Life Marketing, one such firm, provides a guide encouraging centers to use abortion-related keywords for their Google ads. To reach women early in their search process, before they contact abortion clinics, the guide advises centers to create vague ads that mention abortion terms without directly offering abortion services. It suggests sentences like “Get the facts before scheduling an abortion” or “Considering Abortion?” to pique interest. The guide stresses the need for strategic marketing to reach women considering abortion, particularly in states with restrictive abortion laws. It recommends bidding on keywords related to nearby cities or towns where abortion is available to target women just before they travel for the procedure.
While Google has specific policies for ads related to abortion queries, there are loopholes in the system. The disclosure policy applies to specific terms and queries only, and ads targeting more general information keyword terms do not require disclosure labels. Therefore, searches like “abortion services near me” trigger disclosure labels on Google ads, whereas searches like “planned parenthood” do not since the query is considered more general. Even when there is a disclosure, the ads can remain unclear. For example, a search for “abortion pill dallas” generates an ad for Grapevine TX Women’s Clinic that includes the phrase “The Abortion Pill – First Trimester Abortion.” However, in smaller text, it states that the clinic does not provide abortions.
Google claims it removes or blocks ads that violate its policies and maintains a commitment to ensuring clear and easily understood advertisements, particularly on sensitive topics like abortion. After the Center for Countering Digital Hate’s previous report, Google took immediate action against ads that misrepresented the services provided by anti-abortion pregnancy centers. The company regularly reviews its policies and updates the list of “in-scope abortion queries” as necessary.
To protect individuals seeking abortions from deceptive ads, the Center for Countering Digital Hate urges legislators to ban misleading advertising on abortion. It also calls for Google to enforce clear disclaimers on ads from anti-abortion pregnancy centers stating they do not provide abortions. Furthermore, the center recommends that the centers’ websites display prominent disclaimers, and Google’s search results prominently feature actual abortion clinics.
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Rohit Malhotra is a medical expert and health journalist who offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being. His articles aim to help readers lead healthier lives.
