More than 2.5 million unintended pregnancies were reported in the U.S. between 2014 and 2019. Many of those women probably read pregnancy articles online, browsed Planned Parenthood’s website, triple-checked their period tracker or confided in their best friend over Facebook Messenger. If Roe v. Wade is struck down this summer, as the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court indicates is likely, these common online practices could become evidence of criminal intent by women who choose to get an abortion.
In states such as Texas, Missouri and Louisiana, a woman’s future may soon depend on whether she can keep her pregnancy a secret. But tech companies have designed the digital world we live in to optimize personal data tracking for advertising revenue, making privacy nearly impossible.
I should know.
