Google bans adverts from Australian abortion and contraception providers

According to MSI Australia, a supplier of abortion and contraception, Google has prohibited its advertising in search results due to an incorrect reading of Australian legislation.

Since 3 December, Google has prohibited MSI Australia from advertising links to the MSI website in paid advertisements, and this restriction has been in effect since that date.

The ad ban, according to Guardian Australia, may have resulted from Google mistaking a reference of medical abortions on the MSI Australia website for an advertisement for pharmaceuticals that cause abortions, despite the fact that no specific drugs are mentioned on the website.
Abortion-related advertisements on Google’s platforms are governed by long-standing standards, a Google representative said. “As long as the marketer is accredited, abortion commercials may air in Australia. Drugs that cause abortions, however, are not authorised to be advertised or promoted in accordance with local legal restrictions.

The spokesman stated that wording on the MSI website that may violate the guidelines has been found and would need to be amended before advertisements can resume.

“We are working closely with the advertiser to clarify any minor modifications so that they can run policy-compliant advertisements again as soon as possible,” the company said after analysing the in question advertising.

After clinics reported a decline in website traffic and bookings in 2019, a similar ad prohibition was lifted. It wasn’t until this month that the advertising started to be blocked once more.

In order to avoid being subject to the prohibition on advertisements at the time, MSI was compelled to totally revamp its website.

Jamal Hakim, managing director of MSI Australia, claimed that the latest prohibition represented another another misreading of Australian law.

Google has once more imposed a general ban on abortion advertising in Australia, he added, comparing it to Groundhog Day. “We are sick and weary of advertising regulations being misunderstood and preventing people from finding compassionate and truthful information about abortion.

“Although abortion is legal in Australia, access to it is difficult. The prohibition on Google is limiting access to abortions.

According to the organisation, MSI Australia receives over 160,000 calls annually, with 3 out of 4 of those calls being for information or support. They are urging for a swift resolution to the issue.

In an effort to combat deceptive ads that drive women away from abortion providers, Google has mandated from 2019 that abortion providers be certified in order to advertise their services on Google.