It looks like all the attention POPLINE has received from their decision to omit the term "abortion" from their search engine has been brought to the attention of the Dean of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who released the following statement:
I was informed this morning that the word "abortion" was blocked as a search term in the POPLINE family planning database administered by the Bloomberg School’s Center for Communication Programs. POPLINE provides evidence-based information on reproductive health and family planning and is the world’s largest database on these issues.USAID, which funds POPLINE, found two items in the database related to abortion that did not fit POPLINE criteria. The agency then made an inquiry to POPLINE administrators. Following this inquiry, the POPLINE administrators at the Center for Communication Programs made the decision to restrict abortion as a search term.
I could not disagree more strongly with this decision, and I have directed that the POPLINE administrators restore "abortion" as a search term immediately. I will also launch an inquiry to determine why this change occurred.
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is dedicated to the advancement and dissemination of knowledge and not its restriction.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Klag, MD, MPH
Dean, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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Isn't it great when medical professionals are committed to, you know, medicine?
Go Johns Hopkins and Dean Klag
I second that cheer for Dean Klag! It sucks that anyone needed to step in to begin with, but it's awesome that he's doing it.
This was the case at least by 8pm PST yesterday. A friend mentioned the issue, I checked the search engine, searched for "abortion," and came up with five hits; there's a screenshot at http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2062/2386813868_e0c3f282aa_o.png if anyone wants to see it. I had a few issues with searching it today, but further searches indicate that it was a server issue, not a search engine issue.
So yeah. It appears the issue was resolved sometime yesterday or last night, and the web just lagged a bit behind on this one. I feel sorry for the poor bastards who have to field all the indignant calls and e-mails over a decision that was already reversed.
morph, I think what your screenshot actually shows is the result of enteringn abortion in the seach box and then hitting the Browse Index button rather than Search (which is hidden down at the bottom of the screen). Since the term abortion was never removed from the index, your search still found the it.
First off, I just want to say thanks for this wonderful site -- it helps the downtrodden aspiring revolutionary to know she's not alone out there, you know?
I'm a student at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, and I wanted to share with you something going on this very second outside my dorm. Today, as I was walking to my 8:30 class, I noticed a sign that said, "Warning: Genocide Photos Ahead," and unwittingly walked right into an event staged by an anti-choice campaign calling itself "The Genocide Project." Below are links to the photos I took, if you're interested and prepared for the usual anti-choice blame/shock tactics:
http://gentransy.tripod.com/antichoice_at_transy/
Again, thanks for all that you do here at Feministing.com! On days like to day, it especially means a lot.
Kandace H
Below are links to the photos I took, if you're interested and prepared for the usual anti-choice blame/shock tactics
Thanks for posting these - tried to leave a comment, but, that verification code is tough! All I wanted to say was: Good for the indignant students! The 'brainwashing' sign made me laugh.
And, while I'm here, I don't think I've said so before, but I'd just like to second the thank you to feministing for the good work you do here.
I'm so incredibly proud to be a student at JHSPH! Three cheers for Dean Klag for getting this stuff fixed. I can't believe CCP goofed like that, but I'm relieved that POPLINE (a great resource) is back as it should be again.
I am so happy the dean made this statement. I found out about this on Women's Health News and was livid. First of all, abortion is the medical term for pregnancy loss before 20 weeks, regardless of whether it is a termination of pregnancy or a spontaneous abortion. Second of all, they have a saved quick search on female genital mutilation, which is apparently fine to search information on, but not abortion? Come on.
WOOS! 'Tis makes me happy to see university officials stand up to the moronic Bush regime to support what is medically and scientifically responsible.
Go universities. You may be the one type of institution left that makes this country worth living in.
Yay! How rare it is when the news has something that makes me smile. Score one for intelligent and compassionate people everywhere!