Nebraska woman pleads guilty in medication abortion case based on Facebook data

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In a recent legal development, a woman from Nebraska has entered a guilty plea for assisting her 17-year-old daughter in obtaining a medication abortion last year. The case centers around Facebook’s decision to provide authorities with private messages exchanged between the mother and daughter, where they discussed the termination of the pregnancy.

Facebook – Role in Abortion Prosecution

Big Tech companies can utilize this case as a notable example to prosecute abortion-related cases in the United States. Following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that legalized abortion, experts have expressed concerns about the use of various digital data, such as location data, search histories, emails, text messages, and even period- and ovulation-tracking apps, in prosecuting individuals seeking an abortion and those assisting them.

Facebook – Response and Disclosure of Private Messages

Despite the possibility for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to challenge the legal order to hand over the private messages to the police, as they sometimes do on various grounds, the company chose not to do so. The private messages exchanged on Facebook Messenger revealed discussions between the mother and daughter about terminating the pregnancy and destroying evidence, including instructions on how to use abortion pills. This evidence directly led law enforcement to obtain a search warrant.

Police Raid and Seizure of Digital Devices

Following the discovery of the private messages, the police conducted a raid on the family’s residence, seizing six smartphones and seven laptops. The seized devices contained approximately 24 gigabytes of data, including internet history and emails. Law enforcement obtained this evidence as part of a criminal investigation related to the case of a stillborn baby who was burned and buried, rather than solely focusing on the decision to have an abortion.

Meta’s Response and Legal Warrants

At the time of reporting, Meta had not responded to TechCrunch regarding the case. However, the company previously issued a statement emphasizing that the valid warrants they received from local law enforcement in early June, prior to the Supreme Court decision, did not explicitly mention abortion. The warrants pertained to charges related to a criminal investigation concerning the case of a stillborn baby.

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Nebraska woman pleads guilty in medication abortion case based on Facebook data

In a recent legal development, a woman from Nebraska has entered a guilty plea for assisting her 17-year-old daughter in obtaining a medication abortion last year. The case centers around Facebook’s decision to provide authorities with private messages exchanged between the mother and daughter, where they discussed the termination of the pregnancy.

Facebook – Role in Abortion Prosecution

Big Tech companies can utilize this case as a notable example to prosecute abortion-related cases in the United States. Following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that legalized abortion, experts have expressed concerns about the use of various digital data, such as location data, search histories, emails, text messages, and even period- and ovulation-tracking apps, in prosecuting individuals seeking an abortion and those assisting them.

Facebook – Response and Disclosure of Private Messages

Despite the possibility for Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to challenge the legal order to hand over the private messages to the police, as they sometimes do on various grounds, the company chose not to do so. The private messages exchanged on Facebook Messenger revealed discussions between the mother and daughter about terminating the pregnancy and destroying evidence, including instructions on how to use abortion pills. This evidence directly led law enforcement to obtain a search warrant.

Police Raid and Seizure of Digital Devices

Following the discovery of the private messages, the police conducted a raid on the family’s residence, seizing six smartphones and seven laptops. The seized devices contained approximately 24 gigabytes of data, including internet history and emails. Law enforcement obtained this evidence as part of a criminal investigation related to the case of a stillborn baby who was burned and buried, rather than solely focusing on the decision to have an abortion.

Meta’s Response and Legal Warrants

At the time of reporting, Meta had not responded to TechCrunch regarding the case. However, the company previously issued a statement emphasizing that the valid warrants they received from local law enforcement in early June, prior to the Supreme Court decision, did not explicitly mention abortion. The warrants pertained to charges related to a criminal investigation concerning the case of a stillborn baby.

Also Read The Latest News:
Anupam Mittal Criticizes GST Council’s Tax on Online Gaming
Detecting AI-generated text becomes challenging, raises concerns

Disclaimer

We strive to uphold the highest ethical standards in all of our reporting and coverage. We StartupNews.fyi want to be transparent with our readers about any potential conflicts of interest that may arise in our work. It’s possible that some of the investors we feature may have connections to other businesses, including competitors or companies we write about. However, we want to assure our readers that this will not have any impact on the integrity or impartiality of our reporting. We are committed to delivering accurate, unbiased news and information to our audience, and we will continue to uphold our ethics and principles in all of our work. Thank you for your trust and support.

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