Campaigners say more femtech companies are taking a stand against major tech platforms such as Meta, Google, Amazon and LinkedIn, over digital censorship.
In March, six leading startups in the femtech space filed formal complaints with the European Commission over systemic bias and discrimination in content moderation by major online platforms.
Led by advocacy campaign CensHERship and blended-finance investment portfolio The Case For Her, the start-ups are invoking the Digital Services Act (DSA) to expose how platforms disproportionately restrict, shadow ban and remove health-related content aimed at women.
Now CensHERship has told Femtech World that since taking action, a number of other companies have come forward to file complaints related to similar challenges.
“The more we uncover about online censorship, the more we see how it disproportionately impacts FemTech businesses,” say co-founders, Anna O’Sullivan and Clio Wood.
“This issue extends far beyond the six complaints we’ve submitted. We’ve been contacted by a number of other businesses facing the same challenges, many of whom would now also like to file complaints. This is in addition to the 100+ businesses, charities, and creators we’ve engaged with in our research over the past year. It’s clear that the censorship and restrictions being faced are not isolated ‘mistakes’ but part of a broader, systemic issue that needs real attention and reform.”
Evidence collected by CensHERship has found multiple cases of medically accurate, expert-led content related to women’s health—including menopause, libido and reproductive health—being blocked, taken down and/or labeled as ‘political’ or ‘adult content’.
A 2025 report by Center for Intimacy Justice into the suppression of content on sexual and reproductive health for women and people of diverse genders, found that 84 per cent of businesses had ads rejected on Meta (Facebook, Instagram) and 64 per cent had product listings removed on Amazon, while 66 per cent of respondents had ads rejected on Google.
In a separate survey of 95 brands, creators, medical professionals, charities, consumers and professionals, carried out by CensHERship, 95 per cent of respondents reported at least one issue with the censorship of women’s health and/or sexual wellbeing content online, with 17% reporting up to 10. These were reported on platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, YouTube, X, LinkedIn and Google.
Among those impacted are at-home fertility kits from Bea Fertility, vaginal health brand Aquafit Intimate, online sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing platform Geen, sexual health and wellbeing platform HANX, breastfeeding support app Lactapp, and gynaecological health platform Daye.
Bea Fertility ploughed months of work into becoming a Prime-rated seller on Amazon for its at-home fertility kit, building a bank of verified and positive customer reviews, and creating what’s known as ‘A+ content’ for its storefront.
But the Amazon reviews team rejected the page, taking issue with the use of the word ‘vagina’ and ‘vaginal canal’ within the description (there was no issue with the use of the word ‘semen’).
The company replaced the word ‘vagina’ with ‘birth canal’, despite feeling this was ‘insensitive’ and ‘crass’ given it is a fertility product, before pulling its products from Amazon at the end of January 2025.
Aquafit Intimate has faced wrongful restrictions on LinkedIn for a post related to World Menopause Day. Despite LinkedIn apologising for mistakenly identifying the content as nudity, a repost was again restricted and further posts about Endometriosis, Postpartum Recovery, and Vaginal Dysbiosis removed as “illegal products and services.”
“This creates financial barriers, restricts market access, and ultimately limits consumer access to science-based health information,” says CensHERship.
“There’s a clear link between this systemic digital suppression and the hindrance of progress in women’s healthcare.”
“Vague and inconsistent explanations”
As well as content restriction, and removals which don’t appear to be in line with terms and conditions, brands say they have received ‘vague and inconsistent’ explanations for content takedowns, with little opportunity to appeal.
Daye, which has developed a HPV-screening tampon for detecting high-risk HPV infections, says an ad featuring a pregnant woman and referencing the word ‘vaginal’ was incorrectly flagged and removed under Google’s Adult Nudity and Sexual Activity policy. The company says this classification is both “inaccurate and discriminatory”.
“Daye has repeatedly reached out to both Meta and Google regarding misapplied content policies, seeking a proper resolution,” Valentina Milanova, founder & CEO of leading gynaecological health company and virtual women’s health clinic Daye, told Femtech World.
“The responses received have been generic, insufficient and lacking valid justification. These interactions reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of women’s and assigned female at birth health issues, evidenced by the inaccurate classification of relevant content.
“Throughout 2024 alone, Daye filed dozens of appeals but didn’t receive any meaningful explanations or corrective measures. This underscores the systemic failure of these platforms’ appeals processes and human review mechanisms.”
Significant revenue losses
Some businesses report losing significant revenue due to blocked ads and suspensions, making it harder to compete and secure investment.
In the Center For Intimacy Justice report, survey respondents estimated annual revenue losses ranging from $10,000 to $1 million per company on Amazon alone, with Meta’s content restrictions causing potentially up to $5 million per entity in losses annually.
Female-focused condom brand, HANX, has had ads for its doctor-approved libido supplement for women, which is sold in major UK pharmacy retailers including Boots, rejected or heavily penalised. Its organic posts have also been repeatedly flagged as adult content, including a static post spotlighting the World Health Organisation’s report into decline of condom usage and rising STIs.
In December 2024, HANX’s Meta account was suspended for six-days, blocking its ability to reach followers and customers. It was only reinstated after a co-founder secured support from a senior Meta employee via a personal connection.
Speaking to Femtech World, HANX co-founder Dr Sarah Welsh, says: “Despite following Meta’s guidelines, HANX has faced repeated censorship – our educational posts flagged, our ads rejected, and even our entire account suspended without warning. At one point, our ad account was suspended entirely during a peak sales period, cutting off a vital revenue stream.
Meta’s own ad policy states that adverts can “promote sexual and reproductive health or wellness, as long as the focus is on health and not sexual pleasure or enhancement, and they target people aged 18 or older. This includes ads for: Birth control products, including condoms.”
However, despite being a common symptom of menopause, low libido in women is not considered to be a health condition under Meta’s guidelines. Meanwhile, male-focused erectile dysfunction ads are consistently approved.
“Meta’s restrictions have forced us to spend countless hours reworking content, appealing unfair rejections, and navigating unclear policies – only to see misleading health products and male-focused ads thrive,” continues Dr Welsh.
“This double standard doesn’t just hurt our business; it stops people from accessing safe, medically-backed information about their own health. Censorship like this isn’t just frustrating – it’s actively harming innovation in women’s health.”
“The silencing of women’s health must end”
With the support of CensHERship and The Case For Her, the startups are now urging the European Commission to investigate platform policies and hold tech giants accountable for applying content moderation rules fairly and transparently.
They are also calling on digital platforms to implement clear, non-discriminatory advertising guidelines that protect conversations about women’s health, and ensure there are accessible and effective appeal mechanisms.
Cristina Ljungberg, co-founder and partner at The Case for Her, commented: “When femtech companies and nonprofits providing critical health information are suppressed by Big Tech, they struggle to reach the people who need them most. This isn’t just about lost revenue—it’s about blocking access to essential care. The silencing of women’s health must end.”
