This week, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) called on Facebook to take steps to combat “misinformation” regarding abortion in the wake of Texas’ “heartbeat” abortion ban, S.B. 8, taking effect earlier this month.
In a letter penned to Mark Zuckerberg, chairman and CEO of Facebook, Hochul applauded the tech giant’s efforts to stop the spread of misinformation on issues such as COVID-19 and vaccines. However, Hochul believes that abortion should be at the forefront of misinformation prevention efforts on the platform as well.
“There is another critical medical issue that is the subject of rampant falsehoods and misinformation – and it is one that is equally dangerous to the health and safety of our communities if left unchecked,” the letter opens. “Each day, posts are liked and shared on your site that make false claims about abortion procedures and reproductive health legislation, and this misinformation has hit close to home.”
Hochul explained how misinformation surrounding abortion, in New York, specifically, unearthed in the midst of enacting the New York State Reproductive Health Act. RHA is a statute that expanded abortion rights in the state. It was introduced and enacted in January of 2019.
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