{"id":198479,"date":"2019-03-15T17:20:26","date_gmt":"2019-03-15T22:20:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=198479"},"modified":"2019-03-14T17:26:52","modified_gmt":"2019-03-14T22:26:52","slug":"facebook-censors-pregnancy-abortion-complications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/facebook-censors-pregnancy-abortion-complications\/","title":{"rendered":"Facebook inexplicably censors articles on pregnancy, abortion complications"},"content":{"rendered":"
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(Life Site News<\/a>) Facebook is now blocking purely-informational links from a neutral pregnancy website that detail subjects such as early fetal development and present a balanced view on topics such as abortion pill reversal, according to a tip from a concerned reader that LifeSiteNews has independently verified.<\/p>\n

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The American Pregnancy Association<\/a> (APA) \u201cseeks to increase awareness of the reproductive and pregnancy needs in our society along with the resources necessary to address these needs,\u201d partly via a website that provides information on a wide range of pregnancy-related topics, from fetal development to medical complications to early childcare.<\/p>\n

On Monday, LifeSiteNews was forwarded an individual\u2019s attempt to send a friend some pregnancy and abortion facts via Facebook Messenger, including an APA article<\/a> on early prenatal diagnosis and treatment of complications. Among the page\u2019s information is the statement that \u201cBetween 5 \u00bd to 6 \u00bd weeks, a fetal pole or even a fetal heartbeat may be detected by vaginal ultrasound.\u201d<\/p>\n

Facebook blocked the link from being uploaded with a message stating: \u201cYour message couldn’t be shared, because this link goes against our Community Standards. If you think this doesn’t go against our Community Standards, let us know.”<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, LifeSiteNews tested the links and confirmed that while Facebook allows links to APA\u2019s main page and some articles, including \u201cFetal Development: First Trimester<\/a>\u201d and \u201cPossible Physical Side Effects After Abortion<\/a>,\u201d Facebook blocks the early complications article as well as one on abortion pill reversal<\/a> from being shared either on a user\u2019s wall or via the Messenger app, complete with an unexplained \u201cCommunity Standards\u201d warning.<\/p>\n

The early complications article makes no reference to abortion and is purely informational. The pill reversal piece is overall favorable to the practice, guiding readers to the 24-hour Abortion Pill Reversal Hotline. However, it too is primarily informative and presents the arguments both for and against, with quotes from organizations on both sides of the debate.<\/p>\n

Despite being undisputed and readily available in mainstream medical textbooks, disseminating fetal development information tends to be controversial among abortion defenders because it substantiates preborn babies\u2019 status<\/a> as living humans, discouraging women from going through with abortions.<\/p>\n