When the constitutional right to abortion was overturned in 2022, American women saw their rights blasted back 50 years. MSI Reproductive Choices, one of the world’s largest reproductive rights organizations, wanted to help women safeguard their medical autonomy and drive donations to expand access to reproductive care.
While many organizations focused on long-term legal and political efforts, MSI identified an urgent gap: protecting women’s digital privacy in the US and globally. Digital footprints like period trackers, search histories, and private messages are increasingly used in court against women accused of having an abortion — even those experiencing miscarriage and stillbirth are at risk.
A virtual private network (VPN) would have been the obvious choice. But after conversations with the campaign’s digital privacy partner, Electronic Frontier Foundation, we realized that new attacks on bodily autonomy require stronger and more comprehensive digital defenses.
So we created a new kind of VPN: the Vagina Privacy Network, a step-by-step protocol for anyone who wants to keep their private parts private online. Available at VaginaPrivacyNetwork.org, the protocol includes tools for secure web browsing, encrypted messaging, untraceable payments and avoiding location tracking.
How do you get the word out about a campaign that’s all about privacy? On the second anniversary of Roe’s overturning, we descended upon women’s marches in states where abortion is restricted — handing out prepaid ‘burner’ phones. On the phones, we printed the number of a hotline women could call to learn about the privacy protocol anonymously.
We supported the initiative with pro-bono influencer promotion and embargoed media outreach. The campaign’s logo, the ‘Vag-Eye,’ became a symbol of the constant digital surveillance women face. It featured prominently on billboards, including one across from Indiana's last closed abortion clinic. Keeping the momentum going, we’re partnering with college organizations to expand the Vagina Privacy Network nationwide.
To date, the campaign has over 231 million impressions, including pieces in USA Today and Pop Sugar. Owned social posts received a 3.84% engagement rate, and the campaign video had a 3% click-through rate. And most importantly, MSI saw a 107% increase in donations compared to the same period a year prior, ensuring women’s access to information and healthcare for the future.
