During the first few days of SXSW 2024, Repro Uncensored was proud to partner with Fight for the Future, For Freedoms, Plan C, Women on Web, Project for Empty Space, and Essentials Creative to demand that Big Tech end its role in fueling abortion surveillance and censorship, and to uplift body freedom.

It’s impossible to ignore the stark contrast: thousands of people safely traveling to Texas to attend SXSW, while Texas enforces one of the strictest abortion bans in the country. Many Texas border counties have even passed laws restricting travel for abortion services. This mirrors a growing trend nationwide, with over 20 states implementing laws that ban or severely limit abortion access. In states like Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Idaho, lawmakers are now pushing to criminalize individuals and groups––such as abortion funds––who help people cross state lines to access abortion care.

If you’re in Austin during @SXSW, make sure to catch our moving billboard and projections happening all over downtown Austin, from March 8th to March 13th! From March 8-11, our mobile digital billboards will be driving around downtown .jpg
If you’re in Austin during @SXSW, make sure to catch our moving billboard and projections happening all over downtown Austin, from March 8th to March 13th! From March 8-11, our mobile digital billboards will be driving around downt (4).jpg
If you’re in Austin during @SXSW, make sure to catch our moving billboard and projections happening all over downtown Austin, from March 8th to March 13th! From March 8-11, our mobile digital billboards will be driving around downt (2).jpg
If you’re in Austin during @SXSW, make sure to catch our moving billboard and projections happening all over downtown Austin, from March 8th to March 13th! From March 8-11, our mobile digital billboards will be driving around downt (6).jpg

Part of our Body Freedom project at SXSW also included a zine workshop held at the Future Front Texas House. The Body Freedom DIY Zine was a resource-sharing, community-building activity designed to empower and encourage the celebration of identities. Whether in a group setting or at home, participants were encouraged to use the prompts provided to create and explore strategies for overcoming current barriers to body autonomy. Debuting at SXSW, this interactive activity included a highlighter palette, a custom sticker set, and tools to help communicate the importance of action, especially in the face of numerous local and national bans aimed at restricting body freedom.

Unfortunately, some of the very tech platforms showcased at SXSW are contributing to these restrictions by censoring abortion information and sharing user data with authorities, enabling prosecution under restrictive anti-abortion laws. As attacks on abortion rights and bodily autonomy escalate, we fear a rise in cases where tech companies’ data is used as evidence in lawsuits against those seeking or facilitating abortions.

We call on tech companies to stop collecting, retaining, and sharing user data unnecessarily, and to halt the censorship of critical abortion information provided by advocates and healthcare providers.

We also urge lawmakers and government agencies to take immediate action to protect abortion facilitators, seekers, and anyone exercising their right to bodily autonomy.

Learn more about our campaign at EndAbortionSurveillance.com/SXSW and join the fight to protect digital privacy and abortion rights.