Planned Parenthood Wants Access to Your Children—Through Their Phones

You’ve probably already heard that Planned Parenthood’s COVID-19 plan has been to ask for donations of masks and gloves, push surgical abortion, and defy state orders to halt nonessential procedures. But what hasn’t gotten as much attention is how Planned Parenthood seized upon the quarantine opportunity to ramp up advertising on “virtual sex education” and “virtual abortion.”

"Virtual sex education" to get around parents

Several years ago, Planned Parenthood launched an interactive app and a chatbot (called Roo) that can interact with children as young as thirteen about birth control and sex. They also use these online tools to engage children on other issues such as gender and relationship concerns. Parents are asking: should a bot really be the one talking to our kids about these important issues?

Roo is introduced as “Roo answers all your awkward questions about sexual health, relationships, growing up, and more. Chatting with Roo is free and private, so go ahead and ask the things you don't want to ask out loud.” It claims to be the most trusted provider of sex ed. Bustle (a popular young women’s website) claims that Roo is a way for kids to get around abstinence-focused education. A child as young as 13 (or who says she is 13) can use the site. But Planned Parenthood is not just teaching kids the basics about biology, they are pushing a radical sexual agenda that encourages unhealthy exploration in secret.

Planned Parenthood is also working with the World Health Organization to push similar services internationally during the pandemic. Thankfully, President Trump cut funds for the World Health Organization over the next several months. However, Planned Parenthood’s radical sexual agenda is not something that the United States should have ever been funding or should fund in the future.

"Do it yourself abortions” to get around safety regulations

Planned Parenthood announced in April that it was expanding its telehealth offerings into all 50 states and is simultaneously pushing for state and federal governments to ease restrictions on the abortion pill. They are particularly interested in removing safety protocols for women taking the abortion pill.

While telehealth can be a vital life-saving tool when used for the right procedures, abortion is most definitely not one of them. There are significant risk factors for many women when it comes to chemical abortions. Receiving abortion pills through the mail is currently illegal under federal law and is very unwise, medically.

Abortions by pill, or “do it yourself abortions,” leave women to face any complications or even the potential of a failed abortion on their own, without appropriate medical care. Even if women do seek out care after a failed abortion, they are being instructed to tell other medical professionals that they simply had a natural miscarriage. This hides key information that medical professionals may need to help a women and her baby after a failed abortion—and skirts rules for reporting abortion complications in some states.

Planned Parenthood’s ramped up virtual agenda is a convenient way for them to get around even basic regulations at their surgical facilities—and to exclude a child’s parents from some of the most important conversations of her life.

Planned Parenthood is moving full speed ahead to gain access to children in their homes through their devices. But, the Family Policy Alliance team is already working to stop Planned Parenthood’s virtual efforts at both state and federal levels of government and is using the time during the COVID-19 shutdowns to build helpful guides to equip parents to handle these challenges and advocate for their children.

Because our kids deserve better than Planned Parenthood,


Brittany Jones, Esq.
Policy Manager