Facebook Removes, Then Replaces, Abortion "Tips" Image

As difficult as it may be getting to access it, we are still lucky in this country to for the most part have the ability to obtain a safe, legal pregnancy termination. But for many women in other countries, abortion is not legal, and ending a pregnancy could result in serious harm.

Women on Waves works to provide information on how to procure safe abortions in countries where it simply isn’t possible. But when they posted an infographic on their Facebook page explaining how to induce an abortion using pills if you are less than 9 weeks pregnant, Facebook removed the image, saying it violated their rules.

Facebook has now allowed the image to be replaced, and apologized for their actions, saying that the removal was a mistake. “Dear Dr. Gomperts, I wanted to take a moment to reach out to you in regards to the warning that you received from Facebook on Thursday. The photo that was removed from your profile is not in violation of our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, and appears to have been removed in error. We do apologize for the removal of this content and the subsequent warning that you received. Our policies are enforced by a team of reviewers in several offices across the globe. This team looks at hundreds of thousands of reports every week, and as you might expect, occasionally, we make a mistake and remove a piece of content we shouldn’t have. When this happens, we work quickly to address it by apologizing to the people affected and making any necessary changes to our systems and processes.”

Although Facebook has changed its stance, the publicity surrounding the removal in the first place has now opened the page up to a new sort of criticism – a wave of anti-choice trolls condemning the organization, as well as anyone who supports a woman’s right to choose. “If you don’t want a baby then don’t have sex!” “True freedom, Women on Waves, is the right to choose what is good. Killing innocent children is not good. It’s selfish and murderous.” “This baby killing page should be shut down by facebook!”

Facebook may have reversed its position, but you can expect that the outrage of the anti-choice advocates against the group have only just begun.

Photo credit: Facebook screen grab

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Demet G.

11:20PM PST on Feb 19, 2012

Link buildingModa is a very important part of a website-promotion on the internet. You contact webmasters of other, related websites them related boggers also and let them know your website exists. If the value that you have worked so hard your website is evident to them, they will assist their own customers by linking back to your website.

send a green star

Linda H.

10:50PM PST on Jan 13, 2012

Mandi. A, I understand your concerns. You need to understand that you can in most parts of the world just walk into a drug store and buy what you want. At least the information is accurate. And when I remember what we used to think would do the job I am most grateful that we for the most part still have some choice here in this country to go to a doctor. Not for long if the Republicans keep at it though so maybe young people should keep a copy of these instructions handy.

KS G.

4:43AM PST on Jan 9, 2012

Thanks for the article.

Sarah M.

5:53PM PST on Jan 8, 2012

So, so, scary that women are being told that this is what they must resort to in order to have a choice.

John M.

9:52AM PST on Jan 6, 2012

Make any sex illegal. Then one can say( don't do the crime, if you can't do the time)...

Rose N.

1:21AM PST on Jan 6, 2012

well said SUE H

Jane B.

7:53PM PST on Jan 5, 2012

Wonderful. I'm happy to see these pro-life crazed hate mongers are being put in their place.
They deserve some jail time where they can get a taste of "true freedom". Until they "put up"
some support monies for all the unwanted BABIES out there who are ALREADY BORN, they
can all go pound sand. I SO wish one of those glassy eyed lunatics would get in my face and say something, they would see the inside of a patrol car in a New York second. Their crap is getting OLD.

Past Member .

5:45PM PST on Jan 5, 2012

Good grief.

Vivianne M.

4:28PM PST on Jan 5, 2012

I am for choice, no matter what the issue.
No choices is a lose-lose situation to me.

melanie b.

3:29PM PST on Jan 5, 2012

I see why facebook removed that- it seems like a HUGE liability to put, basically, DIY medical procedure information up there, that isn't from a doctor, for people who can't have access to medical care, and especially if the safe application of that information is dependant on accurately being able to figure out how far along a pregnancy is. I'm glad the information is out there- some people will use it safely, and facebook has enough money it can stand a few lawsuits. Hopefully, this will remind us American's about how fragile our right to choose is.