A group of femtech companies has accused Meta, LinkedIn, Google and Amazon of systemic bias against women’s health content, claiming the platforms block or restrict posts about menopause, endometriosis and infertility while allowing adverts for erectile dysfunction treatments.
Six UK and European firms have filed formal complaints with the European Commission, urging an investigation into moderation policies they say are “biased” against women. The companies include Bea Fertility, Aquafit Intimate, Geen, HANX, Lactapp and Daye.
Examples cited include a lubricant maker whose educational posts on painful sex were removed from LinkedIn for promoting “illegal products”. A breastfeeding app had ads restricted on Instagram for showing a baby nursing and using the word “nipple”. Meta also blocked adverts for a female libido supplement while allowing male libido ads.
Bea Fertility said Amazon rejected product diagrams containing the word “vagina”, though the word “semen” was permitted. Amazon denied taking action over the word, noting many products use it in titles.
The campaign, organised by CensHERship and The Case For Her, calls for “clear, non-discriminatory advertising guidelines” that protect women’s health conversations. Cristina Ljungberg of The Case For Her warned that censorship limits revenue and deters investment in women’s health innovation.
