As a trusted search engine, we are frustrated and disappointed that your Google Maps service is directing users searching for abortion care to intentionally deceptive fake women’s health clinics.
Across the country, these fake women’s health clinics, also known as crisis pregnancy centers are set up to dissuade and coerce women, through misleading information and false advertising, from accessing their right to terminate a pregnancy. One of your stated business goals is to provide your users with the “most useful and relevant information” in their search. Allowing these centers to continue to manipulate your search results algorithm is neither useful, nor relevant—In fact, it’s the exact opposite.
Knowingly directing users that are looking for specific healthcare services to fake clinics that provide dangerously inaccurate medical information is grossly irresponsible. More so, it is inherently sexist given that the vast majority of individuals who are impacted by this mistake are women. Just as you wouldn’t direct a parent searching for a pediatrician to a deceptive anti-vaccination center, you shouldn’t send a women looking for an abortion provider to fake women’s health clinic.
Google, we are urging you to fix this error immediately and give your users accurate information they are searching for.
