Google to delete location history for US abortion clinic visits

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• Jul 2, 2022 | Poonam Nath

Google will not store location data from fertility clinics, addiction treatment facilities, or weight loss clinics.

Digital Desk: Google announced that it would delete users' location history when visiting abortion clinics, domestic violence shelters, and other locations where privacy is preferred.

Jen Fitzpatrick, a Google senior vice president, wrote in a blog post, "If our systems detect that someone has visited one of these locations, we will delete these entries from Location History shortly after their visit," he also added, "This change will be implemented in the coming weeks."

The announcement comes just a week after the US Supreme Court decided to deprive American women of their constitutional right to abortion, prompting a dozen states to outlaw or severely restrict the procedure and sparking nationwide protests.

Activists and politicians have urged Google and other tech behemoths to limit the amount of data they collect to prevent it from being used by law enforcement in abortion investigations and prosecutions.

Fitzpatrick also attempted to reassure users that the company values data privacy.

She penned, "Google has a long track record of opposing overly broad law enforcement demands, including objecting to some demands entirely." 

"We consider the privacy and security expectations of people who use our products and notify them when we comply with government demands," Jen added.

Concerns about smartphone data and reproductive rights arose even before the Supreme Court decision when several conservative US states passed laws in recent months that allow members of the public to sue doctors who perform abortions – or anyone who assists in their facilitation.

A group of top prompted Democratic lawmakers wrote to Google CEO Sundar Pichai in May, pleading with him to stop collecting smartphone location data lest it becomes "a tool for far-right extremists looking to crack down on people seeking reproductive health care."

Also Read: US Supreme Court Abolishes Abortion Rights Of Its Citizens