Reversing Roe in the digital age
The United States Supreme Court may be poised to strike down Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling legalizing abortion throughout the country. If the decision is overturned, it could jeopardize abortion access for tens of millions across the country. Thirteen states have laws on the books that would immediately ban abortion if Roe is scrapped, and a dozen more are likely to gut abortion access absent federal protections. Louisiana Republicans are advancing a bill that would classify abortion as homicide and implicate both abortion patients and providers.
The reversal would also undo the privacy standard on which the Roe decision hinged. This is a uniquely powerful change in the digital era, raising urgent questions about data security and privacy. The tools so many of us rely on to engage with the modern world are largely trackable, making it easier for authorities (or even private individuals) to go after people seeking abortions, or those who are trying to help them.
People’s search histories, text messages, location data, social media activity, purchasing records, and use of reproductive health phone apps will likely become standard evidence in legal cases against people seeking abortions.
This is a privacy issue