Instagram Is Censoring Abortion Pill Info

1.22.25

The Quickie—read or click to skip ahead:

In Social Media Censorship, Instagram doesn’t want you to order abortion medication. Or even know about it!

America Supports Abortion looks at the rise in support for abortion pills.

School Board Attacks reports on conservative outrage over Planned Parenthood backing school board candidates in Pennsylvania.

Legislation Watch details bills in multiple states, including one in Nebraska that could allow Republicans to falsely drive up abortion ‘complication’ rates.

In the Nation, Dems blocked the ‘born alive’ bill, abortion funds need your help, and a coalition of pro-choice governors is working behind-the-scenes.

In the Courts, an anti-abortion activist lost his ‘free speech’ case in San Diego, but we can expect to see a lot more of the same.

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Social Media Censorship

Just days after Trump took office, Instagram has started to censor vital information about abortion. Specifically, the social media giant has attacked Aid Access, one of the most important abortion medication providers in the country. The screenshot below shows what Aid Access’ Instagram account looks like right now—posts that told followers how to get abortion medication have been blurred out.

Instagram is also hiding Aid Access in searches (more screenshots here), making it near-impossible for users to find their account. I follow Aid Access on Instagram, yet I couldn’t even search for the group in my own following list. It also appears that the group’s Facebook account has been deleted.

I don’t think I need to tell you why this is so disturbing: Aid Access providers have been crucial in getting abortion pills to patients in states with bans. As such, they’ve had a massive target on their back. Remember, it’s an abortion provider with Aid Access who is being sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Republicans know that abortion pills and telehealth are the primary reason the abortion rate hasn’t gone down, and why patients have been able to get care in spite of state laws. That’s why they’ve attacked the medication again and again—whether through laws declaring the pills a ‘controlled substance,’ fake studies claiming the medication is dangerous despite all evidence to the contrary, or suits targeting providers.

And now, of course, there’s this. Conservatives figure if they can’t stop abortion providers from dispensing the pills, maybe they can stop patients from finding them. Rachel Cohen at Vox predicted this attack back in 2022: “Republicans might not be able to stop Aid Access right now, but it appears that Silicon Valley can.”

Instagram’s attack on free speech also comes as Republicans in states like Texas introduce legislation to ban pro-choice websites. (In fact, Aid Access is specifically named in that bill as a site to be banned.)

I’m trying to find out more information from Instagram/Meta about what’s happening, and I’ll update you as soon as I can. In the meantime, please spread the word, donate to Aid Access here, and consider ordering abortion medication to have on hand just in case. (Resources are listed in the footer of this email.)

America Supports Abortion

It’s no wonder that Republicans are so eager to attack abortion medication. The pills aren’t just allowing patients in anti-abortion states to get care in spite of bans, but they’re helping to make abortion rights even more popular.

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports that after Dobbs, support for both advance provision and over-the-counter access to abortion medication rose significantly. Support for both increased from just under 49% to just over 55%. Personal interest in over-the-counter access to the pills also increased after Roe was overturned.

Researchers recommended that given the “high level of interest and support,” lawmakers should work to get both methods covered by insurance so that “these approaches can become broadly available to the general public.”

For more information on just how pro-choice Americans really are, click here, here and read below:

New Poll: Americans Support Abortion Throughout Pregnancy

School Board Attacks

You all know that conservatives have spent the last few years targeting school boards in an effort to strip classrooms of material they deem dangerous—namely, books and lessons about LGBTQ people, racism, and sexual health. It’s a total nightmare: Books being banned, teachers prohibited from talking about even the existence of gay people, and girls refused potentially life-saving information about their bodies and health.

At the same time, extremist groups and legislators are passing laws to mandate that schools teach children anti-abortion propaganda: Several states now require that science classes show a video produced by the radical anti-abortion organization, Live Action.

Given the relentless attacks on young people and educators, it makes sense that those who care about science, truth, and children’s health would work to ensure their local school boards reflect those values. But when conservatives heard that Planned Parenthood in Pennsylvania planned to endorse school board candidates, they lost their collective minds.

Right wing media and organizations have exploded with rage—and accusations of indoctrination—after Planned Parenthood mentioned in a post-election webinar that they’d be putting their political weight behind Pennsylvania school board candidates.

The ultra right wing publication The Federalist, for example, claimed the group was trying to “normalize transgender child mutilation and the killing of babies through abortion.” Michael Geer, president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute, said Planned Parenthood would force “explicit, perverse sex ‘education’” into schools and install “school-based ‘health clinics’ where minor children can get access to contraceptives, abortion referrals, and guidance on embracing a new ‘sexual identity.’” And in LifeNews, the executive director of 1776 Project PAC— a group that targets school boards a la Moms for Liberty—had a full blown tantrum.

I think Planned Parenthood struck a nerve—it’s almost as if they’re terrified of young people accessing accurate medical information!

Here’s the thing: We are going to see a lot of this highly-publicized outrage whenever a progressive group gets behind school board elections. Especially if it’s a reproductive rights group. We need to be fully prepared, and not back down.

I know how horrible it can be to be targeted by the right wing media machine. That’s the point; they think they can harass people into submission. We can’t let that happen. We need to be ready to defend the groups going to bat for our school boards, and ensure that we’re just as quick, outraged and aggressive as the opposition.

And remember: There’s a reason anti-abortion groups are focusing so intently on young Americans! They know that young people are the most pro-choice demographic in the country, and they’re desperate to indoctrinate them as early as possible.

We can’t afford to take young people’s support for granted—there’s no guarantee it will always be there. Especially if Republicans successfully embed themselves in schools and communities.

Legislation Watch

Another day, another shitty bill. Today, it’s Nebraska legislation aimed at making abortion medication near-impossible to get. The bill would require a patient to go to an in-person appointment before getting the pills, and another appointment afterwards to “document any adverse events.” (More on this in a moment.)

The Nebraska Examiner reports that state Sen. Rick Holdcroft is calling Legislative Bill 512 the “Chemical Abortion Safety Protocol Act,” and that his legislation would apply to any “abortion-inducing drug”—not just mifepristone/misoprostol. I’ve flagged this kind of language previously; I’m noticing it being used a lot more often. Given Republican efforts to conflate abortion with contraception, it makes me worried about their plans to classify birth control as ‘abortion-inducing.’

Back to the mandate that doctors document any so-called complications from abortion medication: The bill would require doctors to record ‘adverse events’ and report them to the state health department. But what is an ‘adverse event’ anyway? The bill says it means “any harmful event of outcome arising out of the provision of an abortion-inducing drug.” (Emphasis mine.)

🎵I think I’ve seen this film before. 🎵 In 2023, Abortion, Every Day published an investigation revealing how anti-abortion states like Texas forced doctors into reporting false abortion complications. By keeping the definition of 'complication' intentionally vague and imposing severe penalties for not reporting, Republicans created a system designed to inflate the numbers. The goal? To make abortion seem dangerous despite all the credible evidence to the contrary.

Texas is Fabricating Abortion Data

Republicans know abortion medication is safe and effective, so they need to figure out a way to make it appear otherwise. What better way than passing a law that could force doctors to report anything from an infection to anxiety as a ‘complication’ of abortion?

Meanwhile, Republicans in Kansas are introducing a bill to ban and criminalize abortion even though abortion rights are protected in the state constitution. The symbolic legislation would make it a crime to perform or prescribe an abortion, and would prohibit ending a pregnancy unless a person’s life was at risk. But again, the bills can’t really go anywhere: Kansas voters enshrined abortion rights protections in the state constitution in a resounding 2022 win.

Finally, because I think we could use some good news: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation yesterday that allows pharmacists to prescribe birth control directly to patients. In a video, Whitmer said, “Currently, one-third of Michigan counties are experiencing a shortage of obstetricians and gynecologists, meaning these families have to wait months or travel long distances just to access basic health care.”

Whitmer also signed a law that requires insurers to cover the cost of birth control. Michigan Rep. Stephanie A. Young, who sponsored the bills, said the legislation will make it easier for people to “take charge of their health and their futures.”

“Access to contraceptives shouldn’t depend on where you live or whether you can get a doctor’s appointment. By expanding access, we are prioritizing equity, convenience and the well-being of our residents.”

Other legislation I’m keeping an eye on: A Missouri bill to change how the state Supreme Court is shaped, proposed by a Republican angry that Amendment 3 passed.

In the Nation

First, some good news: Democrats have successfully blocked Republicans’ ‘born alive’ bill. I gave you some background on this grotesque legislation yesterday. Consider reading up on it, because I’m already seeing Republicans push out all sorts of misinformation in response to their loss today.

Meanwhile, you all know that abortion rights organizations and funds were struggling before Trump took office—so you can imagine how worried they are now that he’s back in the White House. States Newsroom reporter Sofia Resnick details how pro-choice activists are preparing for the Trump administration, and reminds us how much they could use our support right now.

Lupe M. Rodríguez, executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, for example, says that undocumented immigrants are already terrified to travel within state borders. So those who need reproductive health care—whether it’s abortion, birth control, or prenatal care—are not going to feel safe leaving their states.

“For immigrants specifically,” she says, “the bans have created impossible situations.”

“Everything has changed. We are heading into absolutely the most hostile landscape for abortion access in 50 years in this country, without the legal protection of Roe and with the most hostile administration to abortion access.” Brittany Fonteno, president of the National Abortion Federation

And Megan Jeyifo, executive director of the Chicago Abortion Fund, says that for years her group has been able to fund “every single person that reached out to us” for help affording their abortion. Now, however, “we just can’t guarantee that anymore because of the constraints on our budget.” (Donate to the Chicago Abortion Fund here.)

All of which is to say: These groups need our help right now. There are so many worthy organizations, I know. Try to think about what your community needs, or what group is doing work in an area you care about. If you can’t afford to donate, that’s okay too! Just spread the word on social media and tell the people in your life about the great work these orgs are doing to keep us all safe.

Finally, check out this Rewire column from Christina Chang, executive director of the Reproductive Freedom Alliance (RFA)—a nonpartisan coalition of governors committed to restoring and expanding reproductive freedom:

“While federal protections may remain uncertain, governors can act decisively to ensure Americans continue to have access to the care they need in their states. They can uphold shield laws to protect health-care providers and patients from out-of-state investigations, defend providers from politically motivated prosecutions, expand access to medication abortion and critical delivery points like telemedicine, and fight back against efforts to limit access to contraception and in vitro fertilization.”

Pro-choice governors have definitely stepped up to the bat since Roe was overturned—and that’s why we should be thinking about what else can ask them to do. What would be most useful for their office to work on? Think about it and let me know in comments.

In the Courts

Finally, some good news! Earlier this month, I told you about anti-abortion activist Dan Blythe, who sued over a San Diego buffer zone that prevented him from harassing students outside of a high school. (The ordinance established buffer zones outside of religious institutions, medical facilities, and schools.)

Blythe argued that the ordinance violated his First Amendment rights, and was especially irked at the requirement that he needed students’ consent before handing them leaflets. In an argument so transparent it’s almost poetic, Blythe’s suit said that “obtaining consent is an unrealistic requirement.”

This week, however, U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel ruled that the ordinance doesn’t infringe on Blythe’s free speech. Curiel cited the Supreme Court’s decision in Hill v. Colorado—which established that limiting harassment in front of an abortion clinic isn’t a free speech violation.

And that’s the rub: Blythe’s lawsuit is actually one of many recent legal challenges targeting buffer zones—a coordinated attempt to undermine that very Supreme Court ruling, Hill v. Colorado.

It’s like I laid out in my 2025 predictions: Conservative groups want to roll back protections outside of abortion clinics nationwide, and make it easier for extremists to harass providers and patients.