Following the landmark Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe vs. Wade, Google will automatically remove users' history of visits to abortion clinics and other destinations that could be used in legal proceedings.
Following the Supreme Court decision to allow individual states to ban abortion, Google will automatically remove information about users who visit abortion clinics, according to their recent blog post.
Because this Supreme Court decision to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade could make abortion illegal in more than a dozen states, many are urging tech companies like Google to ensure the safety of their clients’ information.
According to CBS News, the fear is that people’s digital information — including texts, location history, searches, and emails — could be utilized against them in legal proceedings connected to abortion procedures or miscarriages.
In addition to visits to abortion clinics, Google listed counseling centers, fertility centers, addiction treatment facilities, weight loss clinics, and cosmetic surgery clinics as other destinations that will be erased from users' location histories, according to the statement.
Users have always had the option to edit their location histories on their own, but Google will proactively do it for them as an added level of protection.
According to the outlet, Google annually receives thousands of government demands for users' digital records as part of misconduct investigations.
The company says it pushes back against search warrants and other demands that are overly broad or appear to be baseless.
"We're committed to delivering robust privacy protections for people who use our products, and we will continue to look for new ways to strengthen and improve these protections," Google Sr. Vice President Jen Fitzpatrick wrote in the blog post.
