Alphabet will delete location data displayed when users visit an abortion clinic, the online search company said on Friday, after concerns that a digital footprint could notify law enforcement. the law if an individual has an illegal abortion.
As state laws restricting abortions were introduced after the US Supreme Court decided last month that they were no longer constitutionally guaranteed, the tech industry has worried police that it could be obtained. subpoenas a client’s search history, geographic location, and other information that reveals plans for a pregnancy.
On Friday, Google said it would continue to push back against unwarranted or overly extensive requests for government data, without mentioning abortion.
The company says the Google account’s location history is turned off by default.
Effective in the coming weeks, for those using location history, entries showing sensitive locations including birth centers, abortion clinics, and addiction treatment facilities will be removed soon. when visiting.
A Google spokesperson did not immediately respond to how the company would determine such visits or whether all related data would be deleted from its servers.
Google is the first tech company to go public about how it will handle user data amid concerns about the court ruling and how it could be weaponized and imposed by law enforcement.
Separately, the company on Friday updated its policy to designate US advertisers to provide abortion services even if they deliver the drug by mail following a virtual consultation, but lacks their own facilities.