Recent reports have uncovered a worrying trend: social media platforms such as Meta, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and even LinkedIn are removing abortion-related content, even when that content is purely informational. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), clinics, individuals and advocacy groups in the United States and Latin America have had posts taken down, accounts suspended, or content flagged, often without clear explanation.
From a pro-life standpoint, these takedowns are deeply troubling. One core objective of the pro-life movement is not only to protect the unborn, but also to foster a culture of truth, compassion and informed conscience. Free discussion, sharing of scientific facts, personal testimonies and moral arguments are all essential to that aim. When legitimate, factual content is removed or suppressed, the public is denied access to information that may shape their understanding of life, responsibility, and human dignity.
An Article in The Independent notes that platforms claim their policies have not changed, yet many removals appear to stem from over-enforcement, especially since content moderation increasingly relies on automated systems. These systems often struggle with nuance and fail to differentiate between misinformation and valid, if sensitive, discussion. In particular, posts about medication abortion, for example those referencing mifepristone, have been removed even where no sale or medical advice was being offered.
SPUC has always emphasised the importance of safeguarding unborn life, and part of that mission is ensuring that pro-life messages, truth about abortion, and moral reasoning remain part of public discourse. Censorship or arbitrary removal of pro-life content undermines that mission.
There is also a chilling effect: even when posts are later reinstated, or appeals succeed, the initial removal can deter people from sharing or discussing abortion at all. This shrinks the space for pro-life voices, silences those offering help or support, and denies pregnant women or families access to full information.
Pro-life advocates should call upon social media companies to clarify their policies, which should explicitly protect freedom of speech, especially on matters of life and conscience. SPUC and similar organisations can press for transparency in moderation practices, including human review, clear appeal routes, and safeguards against automated over-reach. Life depends not just on laws but on culture, and culture depends on open, honest conversation. We must resist efforts to censor truth in the name of algorithmic convenience.
