The Impact of Roe v. Wade on Social Media Censorship

The 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned Roe v. Wade has resulted in numerous ramifications that go beyond making abortions inaccessible in states that have already outlawed it. Most recently, a report conducted by Amnesty International has indicated a spike in censorship of topics related to abortion and reproductive healthcare following the Supreme Court decision.

Soon after the ruling, several organizations and activists noticed that Big Tech companies such as Meta and TikTok were flagging and removing abortion information from social media. Sometimes, these companies removed the posts under the guise of “violating community guidelines,” but more often than not, they suspended creators without ever telling them which guideline they violated or why they were suspended. For example, shortly after the decision, TikTok removed a video by US Health Teleclinic Hey Jane that showcased abortion pills because it violated policies on “illegal activities and regulated goods.” Multiple appeals of this decision only led to an account suspension.

It is not coincidental that the frequency with which this phenomenon occurred dramatically spiked following the landmark Supreme Court case that overturned Roe v. Wade. Several advocates believe that Big Tech is over-moderating, in order to avoid potential legal ramifications. A year before the Dobbs ruling, Texas passed a bill that allowed private citizens to sue anyone who assists someone in accessing an abortion. Shireen Rose Shakouri, a deputy director at an abortion nonprofit noticed afterward that TikTok was blocking #mifepristone and #misoprostol, two drugs used to medically end a pregnancy. “Even before this law actually had significant teeth,” Shakouri said, “they were banning the two hashtags of the two most commonly used abortion medications.”

It is evident that Big Tech has noticed restrictive bills and acted accordingly. Since the Dobbs ruling, several states have attempted to further restrict access to reproductive healthcare information. In the aftermath, Texas proposed another bill requiring internet service providers to block access to websites providing abortion-related information, such as Plan C, an informational resource for at-home abortions. Though this bill was not passed, it was reintroduced, and it reflects certain states’ ambitions to block access to abortion information. By censoring content surrounding reproductive healthcare, Big Tech is trying to avoid legal ramifications that could eventually crop up within several states.

This censorship of important reproductive healthcare information can be linked back to the flawed Electoral College. Three justices on the panel that overturned Roe v. Wade were appointed by a president who lost the popular vote. Most Americans want reproductive healthcare to be protected, but the Electoral College has resulted in a president and Supreme Court that do not reflect these values.

Abortion is not illegal everywhere in the United States; however, since Dobbs, several states have implemented increasingly strict laws. It is not surprising that Big Tech has adapted to this change, aiming to avoid liability under this kind of legislation by suppressing information about reproductive healthcare.

Limiting access to health information women should easily be able to obtain can not only lead to an influx of misinformation, but also jeopardize women‘s health, autonomy, and their ability to make informed decisions about their reproductive lives. The Electoral College has led to inaccessible healthcare information––it's time for a change.