Deadly abortion misinformation rings alarm bells for doctors, TikTok

Pro-choice activists disguised as characters from feminist dystopian novel 'The Handmaid's Tale', display green headscarves as they perform in front of the US ambassador's residence during the July 4th independence celebration, in Buenos Aires, on June 30, 2022. — AFP

TikTok and other social media platforms are attempting to clamp down on posts highlighting certain toxic herbs that some say might stop a pregnancy, as doctors sound the alarm over their potentially fatal effects for the person taking them.

The posts appear to be warnings on substances that pregnant people should avoid, while providing detailed information on how they could cause miscarriages when ingested. Medical professionals saw an uptick of such content after a draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade – a law that provided federal protection for abortion rights for five decades – was leaked in May, and even more after that decision was confirmed the following month. Rolling Stone reported that some hashtags and videos on TikTok especially have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.