Texas state legislators are debating a bill that was proposed last month and would make it illegal to share information about where and how to get an abortion. The law would also authorize prosecution of abortion pill "distribution networks," mandate internet service providers to remove websites with content anything related to abortion and allow anyone to sue anyone who disclosed anything about how to obtain a medical abortion. The idea is based on a Texas law passed in 2021 that rewards citizens with money if they bring a lawsuit against someone who made it easier for them to seek abortion services.
Following a recent flurry of moves to restrict reproductive rights in the US, with a special focus on medical abortions—abortions brought on by medication—Texas has proposed limiting information on abortion. If the measure is approved, experts fear that it may encourage platforms and internet service providers (ISPs) to filter content about abortion more generally out of concern for expensive legal disputes.
“It’s scaring the platforms and the ISPs and the speakers into thinking that they can be liable for the speech, so it’s having a chilling effect and advancing the goal of keeping this information from being accessible to people online.” Said Jennifer Pinsof, a staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
As further limits are placed on the process, access to reliable information about abortion may become even more crucial.
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