Several politicians have requested Google, the parent company of YouTube, to limit Search and Maps results that steer people looking for abortions to “fake” clinics where doctors try to discourage them. However, today’s ruling appears to be aimed at videos encouraging self-managed abortions using herbs such as mugwort and pennyroyal, a procedure that many herbalists have warned is untrustworthy and can lead to major health problems. (By comparison, abortion through mifepristone or misoprostol tablets is typically regarded as safe and reliable, even when performed without the supervision of a doctor.) The videos have mostly been reported on TikTok, where several have gone viral.
