May 26, 2023
2 mins read

Google faces US scrutiny over abortion seekers’ location data

Concerns about the security of location data have spiked in Washington since the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade last year…reports Asian Lite News

Nearly a dozen Senate Democrats wrote to Google this week with questions about how it deletes users’ location history when they have visited sensitive locations such as abortion clinics, expressing concerns that the company may not have been consistently deleting the data as promised, CNN Business reported.

The letter dated Monday and led by Senators Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono seeks answers from Google about the types of locations Google considers to be sensitive and how long it takes for the company to automatically delete visit history.

CNN Business said the letter comes after tests performed by The Washington Post and other privacy advocates appeared to show that Google was not quickly or consistently deleting users’ recorded visits to fertility centres of Planned Parenthood clinics.

“This data is extremely personal and includes information about reproductive health care,” the senators wrote. “We are also concerned that it can be used to target advertisements for services that may be unnecessary or potentially harmful physically, psychologically, or emotionally.”

Concerns about the security of location data have spiked in Washington since the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade last year, opening the door to state laws restricting or penalising abortion-seekers. Under those laws, privacy advocates have said, states could potentially compel tech companies to hand over location data that might reveal whether a person has illegally sought an abortion, according to CNN Business.

“Claiming and publicly announcing that Google will delete sensitive location data, without consistently doing so, could be considered a deceptive practice,” the senators added, implying that Google’s conduct could be grounds for an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission, which is authorised to police unfair and deceptive business practices.

Google declined to comment Wednesday on the lawmakers’ letter, instead referring CNN to a blog post that answers some but not all of the senators’ questions.

According to CNN Business, Google defines sensitive locations as “including counselling centres, domestic violence shelters, abortion clinics, fertility centres, addiction treatment facilities, weight loss clinics, cosmetic surgery clinics, and others,” according to an update to the blog post dated May 12. “If you visit a general purpose medical facility (like a hospital), the visit may persist.”

Most abortions are now banned in 14 states following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Georgia also bans abortion at about six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant, New York Times reported.

In many states, the fight over abortion access is still taking place in courtrooms, where advocates have sued to block enforcement of laws that restrict the procedure. Other states have moved to expand access to abortion by adding legal protections, it added. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Alarming Study: New York sinking from skyscrapers’ weight

Previous Story

China can’t purchase farmland in over two dozen US states

Next Story

Beijing’s ban on Micron Technology will draw backlash, warns expert

Latest from Tech LITE

EVs Drive Cleaner Cities

Each EV is equipped with GPS tracking for real-time monitoring and efficiently serves the city’s 159.46 square kilometre area The use of electric vehicles (EVs) in household waste collection is ushering in

India’s Digital Decade Rise

Arundhati Bhattacharya, President and CEO at Salesforce-South Asia and recipient of the Padma Shri, sat down with IANS at an event in the capital to reflect on India’s transformation into a digital

UK Delays AI Regulation

UK Government Delays AI Regulation Bill by a Year, Plans Comprehensive Legislation to Address Safety and Copyright Concerns Efforts to regulate artificial intelligence in the UK have been pushed back by at

OpenAI Expands In India

This programme, now part of the broader ‘OpenAI Academy’, focuses on real-world impact through hands-on guidance, early access to tools, and shared learning Indians have emerged as the most enthusiastic population globally

Trump boosts private Mars missions

The budget earmarks over $7 billion for lunar exploration, including the continuation of the Artemis programme, while setting aside a new $1 billion investment specifically for commercial Mars initiatives. In a bold
Go toTop

Don't Miss

National abortion ban splits Trump campaign

Trump’s campaign has sought to reshape the Republican National Committee

White House may cost Democrats US Congress

The only way out for the US President would be