After a legal threat, Google will allow pro-life groups to advertise:
It had refused a Christian Institute advert, saying it did not allow the advertising of websites with “abortion and religion-related content”.
The institute threatened to use British equality laws to contest the decision.
But after an out-of-court settlement, Google will now allow religious groups to advertise about abortion.
It means when the word “abortion” is typed into the search engine, internet users will no longer just see adverts with details of abortion clinics and support groups, but could also find links to religious groups which may oppose abortion.
I’m torn between the fact that I’m pro-life and the fact that Google is a private company which should be permitted to refuse whatever ads it pleases. Furthermore, Google is an American company in terms of headquarters location if not sentiment, and it’s deeply concerning that a foreign country – had Google not acquiesced – might have been able to regulate it. The EU’s attacks against Microsoft, another company I’m not particularly fond of, were equally troubling.
It’s wonderful that women googling “abortion” in the U.K. will now have access to more information. The fact that Google was specifically blocking ads for Christian-based content on abortion is troubling, but I would have much preferred a solution based on public outcry than on legal threats.
Since Google was violating known laws requarding equity in advertising, it got smart and decided it would lose in the end on the legal challenge. Let’s be honest here; we are not victims and we are not carrying rocks. We are carrying tiny, growing humans with DNA markers, heart beats and brain waves. If we could see them and hear them, we would not be able to kill so easily. It’s sad that humanity is often disallowed in our warped culture of death and selfishness. Someone has to give growing children a voice! It was nice to see Google exposed for its bias. Perhaps now it will correct its overall bias against conservative with regard to its search engine!