Report: Google Helps Anti-Abortion Centers Deceive Women Searching for Ultrasound Appointments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2025
Contact: Michael Clauw, mclauw@campaignforaccountability.org, 202.780.5750
In states with pre-abortion ultrasound requirements, some women may turn to Google to locate a clinic to schedule this legally required—but medically unnecessary—extra appointment before they can obtain an abortion. But a new Campaign for Accountability (CfA) investigation found the majority of Google search ads served to women searching for pre-abortion ultrasounds in three states requiring this added step are for anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), where non-medical ultrasounds do not satisfy the states’ legal requirements.
CfA created Google accounts simulating 20-year-old women living and searching for pre-abortion ultrasounds in Arizona, Florida, and Wisconsin and found, respectively, 64%, 56%, and 76% of the ads Google served were from CPCs marketing ultrasound services that would not satisfy the states’ requirements—something that neither the ads nor their destinations disclosed.
CfA Executive Director Michelle Kuppersmith said, “It’s bad enough that women in these states are unnecessarily saddled with psychologically and financially burdensome forced ultrasounds. Worse, when women seek to comply with these ideologically concocted laws, Google bombards them with ads for services that won’t actually satisfy the requirement.”
Recent studies make clear that ultrasounds are not medically necessary before many abortions, including medication abortions. Doctors advocate for an end to ultrasound requirements, labeling them potentially “unethical and traumatic.” On top of the potential to inflict psychological harm, CPCs may deceptively intercept ultrasound seekers in order to delay medical care—something Google’s ad policy explicitly forbids.
In recent years, Google has tried to make it more difficult for CPCs to deliberately deceive abortion-seekers about the nature of their services, including by affixing in-search labels to CPC ads, search results, and map listings. But, as CfA’s investigation demonstrates, Google’s current enforcement of its misrepresentation policy still allows CPCs to attempt to deceive and delay patients seeking pre-abortion ultrasounds.
CfA’s investigation also suggests that Google may be adding to the misinformation around the necessity of pre-abortion ultrasounds by relying heavily on CPC talking points to generate some of its recently introduced, top of page “AI Overviews” in search results. Several AI Overviews overemphasized the necessity of ruling out an ectopic pregnancy before scheduling an abortion appointment—a common scare tactic used by CPCs to get women through their doors. Another advanced the CPC talking point that having an ultrasound as a first step can “prevent unnecessary abortions” by identifying an unwanted pregnancy that looks set to miscarry and terminate on its own, thus saving a woman money.
Ms. Kuppersmith continued, “Google’s AI Overviews relying on misleading CPC talking points to answer questions about ultrasounds should concern women and healthcare providers everywhere—not just in states with pre-abortion ultrasound requirements. Google should ensure its AI tools rely on vetted resources when supplying consumers with medical information.”
Campaign for Accountability is a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog organization that uses research, litigation, and aggressive communications to expose misconduct and malfeasance in public life and hold those who act at the expense of the public good accountable for their actions.