Meta added a new topic to its recent list right-wing actionslike several suppliers of abortion pills have experienced problems that have intensified over the past two weeks, according to The New York Times.
Posts from two of these companies were blocked, blurred or deleted on Facebook and Instagram, while several abortion pill providers said their accounts had been suspended and they were excluded from appearing in the recommendations and research, the Times reported.
Some of these companies told the Times that over the past two days, content on their accounts on Instagram was no longer visible, and in some cases their accounts had disappeared altogether.
Specifically, Aid Access told the Times that he had been blocked from accessing his Facebook account since November, his Instagram account was suspended and restored last week, and some of his posts were removed from Facebook and blurred on Instagram.
Just the Pill and Women Help Women told the newspaper that their accounts had been suspended and restored in recent days, saying Meta had told them the accounts had failed to meet its standards on guns, drugs and other restricted goods.
And Hey Jane Marketing manager Rebecca Davis told the Times that the company’s account had been invisible when searched on Instagram.
The Times reported that some accounts and posts were restored Thursday after contacting Meta. A company spokesperson told the newspaper that the actions were related to rules that prohibit the sale of pharmaceutical drugs on its platforms without proper certification, and that “surfacting” may have been an issue in some cases.
Meta took similar action regarding abortion pills when Roe v. Wade was canceled by the Supreme Court in June 2022.
The abortion pill controversy joins a growing list of recent activities by Meta and CEO Mark Zuckerberg that many perceive to be at the height of President Donald Trump’s administration, including:
The Times noted that telehealth providers are allowed to prescribe medications online and dispense prescription drugs that induce abortion, including mifepristone and misoprostol, according to Food and Drug Administration regulations. But 12 states have banned abortions, while several others have imposed gestational limits or restrictions on mail-order pills.
