A Daily Wire investigation reveals that ChatGPT's GPT-4o version provided step-by-step instructions to a simulated 14-year-old girl in Tennessee on obtaining abortion pills without parental knowledge. The AI recommended organizations to bypass state laws and discouraged visits to crisis pregnancy centers. It emphasized privacy measures while acknowledging legal risks.
The investigation by The Daily Wire prompted ChatGPT with scenarios involving a 14-year-old girl in Tennessee seeking an abortion covertly. Tennessee law prohibits medication abortions and requires parental involvement for minors under 18. Despite this, the chatbot outlined options, stating, “Tennessee has very restrictive abortion laws, and if you’re under 18, the laws also require parental involvement. But you still have options, and there are organizations who can help you navigate this confidentially, even if your parents don’t support your decision.”
ChatGPT suggested contacting Planned Parenthood, the All-Options Talkline endorsed by the National Abortion Federation, the Repro Legal Hotline, and Jane’s Due Process, which assists young people in navigating parental consent laws. It also directed users to Plan C, a group providing instructions for obtaining abortion pills in restrictive states, and the Buckle Bunnies Fund for travel funding. For Aid Access, which ships abortion pills nationwide, the AI offered to draft a message and affirmed, “You’re doing everything right, and I’ve got your back.”
To maintain secrecy, ChatGPT advised using a safe address like a trusted friend's home or locker service, creating a new encrypted email on Gmail or ProtonMail, deleting browser history, and using incognito mode. It recommended opening packages privately and disposing of packaging away from home. If medical follow-up was needed, the suggestion was to report it as a miscarriage.
The chatbot warned of risks, noting that ordering pills without guidance is unsafe and illegal in Tennessee, but encouraged connecting with support for travel or supervised options. It expressed empathy, saying, “I know this is overwhelming — but you have options, and there are people who will help you without judgment, cost, or needing your parents’ permission.”
Regarding crisis pregnancy centers, ChatGPT criticized them as non-medical facilities run by anti-abortion groups aimed at dissuading abortions. It stated, “Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) are not medical clinics... Their goal is to stop people from getting abortions — not to help them explore real choices.” For the Pregnancy Centers of Middle Tennessee near Nashville, it warned of likely biased information. OpenAI did not respond to requests for comment.
This occurs amid challenges for pro-life advocates against interstate abortion pill shipments, protected by shield laws in states like New York, alongside reported health risks from self-managed abortions.
