Google tightens rules on abortion adverts
Advertisers will need to seek approval from the tech firm before their adverts can appear.
Google has updated its rules on advertising related to abortion, forcing companies to apply for approval first and disclosing their stance in search results.
The tech giant is implementing the tighter controls from June in the UK, Ireland and US only, for advertisers “using keywords related to getting an abortion”.
In the update to its abortion policy, Google states that advertisers will need to apply for certification, sharing information as to whether the organisation provides abortions or not, as well as basic details about the company.
Adverts about abortion will then display a notice when they appear on Google search results.
“This added transparency will help ensure that users have the necessary information to decide which abortion-related ads are most relevant to them,” the policy reads.
The move comes after a recent report by the Guardian that claimed Google had given more than 150,000 dollars worth of free advertising to anti-abortion company Obria Group, which suggested it was an abortion service with access to medical clinics.
It also arrives amid controversy in the US around Alabama state’s newly-approved abortion ban, making almost all cases illegal, including pregnancies resulting from rape and incest.
