Google removes search results and history to help people seeking abortion in the US

Google is expanding the types of data that it will automatically delete from users’ location and search histories in the US, the company announced this week. It will now automatically delete Google account location history and search data related to abortion clinics, fertility centers, counseling services, pharmacies, and other categories of potentially sensitive locations, the company said in a blog post. <br><br>The company already automatically deleted search data related to gun shops, shrines, weight loss clinics, crisis centers and addiction treatment facilities, among other categories. <br><br>The changes come as Google and tech companies face scrutiny over how they could be forced to hand over user data to police, who would then use it to prosecute abortions, which are banned in several US states.<br><br>\[BRIEFING LIGHT\]