GUIDE TO YOUR ONLINE PRIVACY & SAFETY

Be mindful of who, when, and how  you communicate.

 

First, you deserve support before, during, and after an abortion. Not everyone might be as supportive as you’d hope. You know your life best, so trust your instincts about who you can tell.

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Here are a few tips to protect yourself:

Be discerning and discrete; who you trust with your personal story is extremely important.  If you decide to share your experience, let them know how important it is to keep your experience private.

 

​Use apps like Signal for private conversations:
Download the Signal App and turn on disappearing messages.

 

• This way, your chats won’t leave a trace.

• We recommend a short time, like a few days.

 

Check if you’re sharing your location:
If you’re using apps like Find My Friends or Life360:

 

• turn off location sharing temporarily.

• leave your phone at home or somewhere safe while you visit the clinic so your location isn’t tracked.

 

How to turn off your location: 

 

• ​​iPhone

• ​Android

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Be careful with social media:
Avoid posting or checking in from locations related to your plans if you are keeping your abortion private.

 

• Protect your privacy with a temporary Google number.

• If you're worried about the person who pays your phone bill seeing your text messages and phone calls, consider creating a free Google Voice Number just for abortion-related conversations.

• You can delete it when you’re done, giving you extra privacy.

 

Delete digital records:

If you've been searching for abortion resources, clear out your digital footprint:

 

• Delete text messages and clear your “deleted” folder.

• Delete emails and empty your trash.

• Erase your search history, browser caches, and​ Google Maps searches.

 

For easy guides on deleting history in different browsers, check these links:

 

• Chrome​​

• ​Firefox

• ​Safari Desktop

• ​iPhone Safari

• ​Microsoft Edge

 

Tips for Keeping Future Searches Private:

• Use “incognito” or private modes to prevent your search history from being stored.

• For even better privacy, download and use browsers like Brave, Tor, or Firefox Focus (mobile only) which erase your browsing history as soon as you close them and block tracking.​

 

Pro Tip: Use a VPN

Even with private browsing, your internet service provider (ISP) can still see which websites you visit. To stop this, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN hides your real IP address, keeping your online activity private and letting you access content that may be restricted based on your location. Choose VPNs that have no-logging technology like Mullvad , Tunnelbear, or ProtonVPN (free with an account).

 

Who to contact for legal and/or medical advice:

If you have specific questions, especially if you are considering self managing your abortion, there are lawyers and medical professionals ready and dedicated to helping.

 

The Repro Legal Hotline is available for legal advice, you can call 844-868-2812 or message through this secure  online form.

 

• Once you contact them, your information will fall under attorney client privilege

• Anything you tell your lawyer stays private and can't be shared without your permission.

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Specifically worried about legal risk?

The most important thing you can do is be careful who you share your experience with. People who have been arrested for self-managed abortions or miscarriages have been reported to the police by healthcare professionals, family, or friends. It’s only after being reported that digital evidence is then used to build a case against them.

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It can also be helpful to remember legal risk depends on many things, not just what laws do or don’t say. Just because something is illegal, doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get arrested. Most bans specifically say the pregnant person can’t be prosecuted under the law. However, just because something is not a crime does not mean you cannot be arrested and/or harassed by law enforcement (even in “safe” places like California). Everyone’s risk will vary depending on demographics and context. Your risk tolerance is also a very personal thing and can often change over time. If you have any questions or concerns, you can call the Repro Legal Hotline at 844-868-2812 to talk with a lawyer.

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The M+A Hotline is available for medical advice, you can call 833-246-2632.

 

Note: In the event that a person wants to go to the Emergency Room after taking abortion pills, you should know that there is no way for a medical provider to tell the difference between a spontaneous abortion (also called a miscarriage) and an induced abortion. You don’t have to disclose anything to your doctor you’re not comfortable disclosing.