Abortion: two American women prosecuted because of private exchanges on Facebook

This is one of the first times someone's Facebook activity has been used to incriminate them in a state with restricted access to abortion.

(Illustration) AFP/File

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

In Nebraska, a mother and her daughter are accused of having performed an illegal abortion, beyond the maximum period of 20 weeks imposed by this State.

The investigators base themselves on private exchanges between the two women that Facebook would have delivered to them.

Advertising

Read more

The overturning of Roe vs Wade

by the Supreme Court

has raised many concerns about the use of the personal data of those who want to perform an abortion and the case of this mother and her daughter in Nebraska is not not made to appease them.

The Madison County prosecutor is forced to admit it: in his 32-year career, he had never made such accusations.

This is indeed one of the first cases where someone's activity on Facebook is used to incriminate them in a state where access to abortion is restricted.

Faced with the controversy, Facebook claims to have responded to a legal request without knowing that it was a question of abortion, but only of a stillborn baby.

Just after the

reversal of the Supreme Court

, the site Vice had asked several digital giants - Facebook, but also Twitter, Snapchat, Google and Amazon - if they would communicate the data of their users concerning abortion, in the event that justice would seek them.

None had answered. 

Mark Zuckerberg, boss of Facebook, then promised that efforts would be made to protect users wishing to have an abortion.

However, last year, the social network satisfied, according to its own figures, nearly 88% of the requests of investigators claiming information drawn from private data. 

The National Advocates for Pregnant Women group, which supports the right to abortion, has recorded more than 1,300 arrests or detention of women for crimes related to their pregnancy between 2006 and 2020.

► 

To read also: 

Where is the right to abortion in the United States?

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_EN

  • United States

  • Womens rights

  • Justice

  • Women

  • Google

  • Gafa