Google takes millions from pro-life groups masquerading as abortion clinics in deceptive ads, study finds
FortuneJun 15, 2023
Report: Misleading Abortion Ads Made Google $10M
The Facts
According to a report released by the non-profit investigative watchdog group Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) Thursday, Google is allegedly making millions of dollars off ads from groups seeking to steer those seeking abortions to crisis pregnancy centers that don’t provide abortion services.
The report claims that deceptive ads — which targeted 15K Google searches related to abortion, including the abortion pill, abortion clinic, and Planned Parenthood – brought in $10.2M for the tech firm between March 1, 2021 and February 28, 2023.
The Spin
Narrative A
Google is violating the trust of its users at a crucial time for those seeking accurate information on abortion. Instead of closing the gaps in its service terms and preventing frivolous ads from deceiving users, the search engine has become a leading referral service for fake health clinics.
Narrative B
The so-called fake clinics in the CCDH’s report adhered to the company’s policy, which mandates advertisers targeting abortion-related searches get certified before they run ads. This study is flawed and biased — Google does its best to prevent deceptive ads from misleading users.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that Casey-era abortion rights will be granted in at least 56% of US States on May 1, 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.