Facebook, Google, YouTube pushing harmful 'misogynistic' trends like 'yoni pearls' to Kenyan women

The latest fad in this problematic trend are 'yoni pearls' and as per research by media collective Fambua, social media giants Meta, YouTube, and Google are profiting from marketing fads which attempt to exploit pressures on women to conform to unattainable standards of sexuality and ill-informed notions of female hygiene

In a patriarchal society, a woman's worth has long been attached to her vagina and its "purity". This obsession has, for years, given way to harmful methods to maintain the so-called purity.

The latest fad in this problematic trend are 'yoni pearls' and as per a report by the Guardian, social media giants Meta, YouTube, and Google are profiting from posts promoting these useless and harmful 'health products' to women in Kenya.

As per research by media collective Fambua, big tech firms are amplifying content promising unproven cures for infertility and herbs that can supposedly fight off cancer.

Fambua found Facebook pages selling these yoni pearls that as per them can "cleanse" the uterus and protect women from cervical cancer.

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These yoni pearls are nothing but mesh wrapped herbs that are to be inserted via the vagina and which, as per claims, "detoxes past lovers from the womb space to free yourself and bring in more aligned lover or lovers."

Bogus cures like steaming the vagina — by sitting over a bowl of boiling water is also being promoted as a cure for endometriosis.

As per the media collective's report, "Facebook’s own algorithms are often amplifying this content, and are letting ads for detox remedies target Kenyan users."

It further points out that all these so-called remedies and the supposed health benefits are not backed by any scientific evidence.

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"Google and YouTube are also part of this harmful system, profiting off ads for vaginal detox products despite evident health risks," claims the report.

"What is most alarming is how freely these adverts are available. People are not just able to sell things that are harmful, but to do so publicly and even pay for these adverts to go viral. There's an audacious impunity about it," says research lead Wanjiru Nguhi.

"Scam products are being delivered into the Kenyan marketplace while big tech is asleep at the wheel," remarks Kristina Wilfore, co-founder of ShePersisted, an initiative to address gendered disinformation.

It's not just ads on social media, these products have also been made popular by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Vera Sidika, the star of the Real Housewives of Nairobi.

As per The Guardian, these vaginal detox products sell for about 1,000 Kenyan shillings (or around $7). Medical experts caution against the use of these 'yoni pearls' and say that these are not only unnecessary but can also cause pain and infections.

Researchers say that these marketing fads are attempting to exploit pressures on women to conform to unattainable standards of sexuality and ill-informed notions of female hygiene.

Even as experts warn against such bogus products, Meta, as per the Guardian, said the vaginal detox content did not violate its policies. "We remove content that promotes harmful miracle cures for health issues when the treatments are widely deemed likely to directly contribute to the risk of serious injury or death," said the company in a statement. Google and YouTube, too, have similar misinformation policies, which require material to present danger of bodily harm or be life-threatening in order for it to be removed.

(With inputs from agencies)

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