Marianne Ayala/Insider
- Police make requests for social media user data to aid prosecution after a crime has been committed.
- Sometimes, the crime is abortion and social apps are turning over user chat logs and search history.
- One legal expert said social platforms may cooperate with police even if not legally required to.
As abortion bans across the nation are implemented and enforced, law enforcement is turning to social media platforms to build cases to prosecute women seeking abortions or abortion-inducing medication – and online platforms like Google and Facebook are helping.