Archive for Abortion

Google: religion is not ‘factual’ on abortion

April 10, 2008 at 11:55 am · Filed under Abortion

Religious liberty

Google: religion is not
‘factual’ on abortion

 

http://www.christian.org.uk/issues/2008/rellib/google_10apr08.htm

 

 

Thursday, 10 April 2008

The Christian Institute’s action against Google rumbled on today as the Internet giant attacked religious pro-life groups for not being ‘factual’ on abortion.

The Institute attempted to place an ad on the popular search engine to promote its anti-abortion articles. But Google refused saying it doesn’t allow ads for sites that mix religion and abortion.

Before now it has not been known why. But today Google UK’s media office told newspapers: “We only allow ads that have factual information about abortion.”

Report continues below…

Listen to a LBC radio debate:

The slur is likely to further alienate religious groups who are already highly critical of Google’s biased policy.

News of the Institute’s legal action has made global headlines, not least in the US where Google’s HQ is based.

Fox News, one of Americas most-watched news channels, is carrying the story on its website. The Institute has given interviews to a number of overseas radio chat shows.

Today’s Daily Mail features a follow-up story showing the highly controversial ads that Google allows while banning religious pro-life ads.

Websites selling knuckle-dusters and ouija boards as well as dating sites designed for married people who want to have affairs are advertised on Google.

Mike Judge, Head of Communications at The Christian Institute, said: “For Google to feature ads like these when at the same time they ban our ad because we are ‘religious’ shows a warped set of values.

“To insinuate that religious groups are not factual on the issue of abortion is a huge insult to religious people across the globe.

“This is not a debate about the rights and wrongs of abortion. It is about free speech. You can be pro-abortion and still recognise that Google is acting unfairly.

“The real test of free speech is whether you allow those you disagree with to have their say. If you only allow your friends to promote their view, that is no free speech at all.”

View The Christian Institute’s ad as it would have looked

Google’s email to the Institute, refusing to accept the ad

The letter from the Institute’s solicitors to Google

 

http://www.christian.org.uk/issues/2008/rellib/google_10apr08.htm

 

 

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Christian Institute challenges Google on abortion ad

April 10, 2008 at 11:51 am · Filed under Abortion

Christian Institute challenges Google on abortion ad

The Christian Institute’s action against Google rumbled on today as the internet giant attacked religious pro-life groups for not being ‘factual’ on abortion.

The Institute attempted to place an ad on the popular search engine to promote its anti-abortion articles. But Google refused, saying it doesn’t allow ads for sites that mix religion and abortion.

Before now it has not been known why. But today Google UK’s media office told newspapers: “We only allow ads that have factual information about abortion.”

The slur is likely to further alienate religious groups who are already highly critical of Google’s  policy, which they say is biased.

News of the Institute’s legal action has made global headlines, not least in the US where Google’s HQ is based.

Fox News, one of Americas most-watched news channels, is carrying the story on its website. The Institute has given interviews to a number of overseas radio chat shows.

Today’s Daily Mail features a follow-up story showing the highly controversial ads that Google allows while banning religious pro-life ads.

Websites selling knuckle-dusters and ouija boards as well as dating sites designed for married people who want to have affairs are advertised on Google.

Mike Judge, Head of Communications at The Christian Institute, said: “For Google to feature ads like these when at the same time they ban our ad because we are ‘religious’ shows a warped set of values.

“To insinuate that religious groups are not factual on the issue of abortion is a huge insult to religious people across the globe.

“This is not a debate about the rights and wrongs of abortion. It is about free speech. You can be pro-abortion and still recognise that Google is acting unfairly.

“The real test of free speech is whether you allow those you disagree with to have their say. If you only allow your friends to promote their view, that is no free speech at all.” 

 

http://www.inspiremagazine.org.uk/news.aspx?action=view&id=2345

 

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Angry Christians sue Google over internet ad

April 10, 2008 at 11:47 am · Filed under Abortion ·Tagged ,

Angry Christians sue Google over internet ad

April 11, 2008 02:11am

SEARCH engine Google is facing a global backlash from internet users over its refusal to carry advertisements for a Christian group.

The Christian Institute is sueing Google on the grounds it is infringing the Equality Act 2006.

The group accused the popular search engine of having a “warped value system” after pointing out that it allows advertisements for “pornography and instruments of violence”.

Websites selling knuckle-dusters and ouija boards, as well as dating sites designed for married people who want to have affairs, are advertised on Google.

But the company turned down the non-denominational Christian charity that wanted to pay Google so that whenever the word “abortion” was typed in, its link would appear on the right hand side of the screen.

The link would have read: “UK abortion law news and views on abortion from the Christian Institute.”

Google said it had a policy of declining sites which mixed abortion with religious views.

It does, however, accept ads for abortion clinics, secular pro-abortion sites and secularist sites which attack religion.

Entering the word “abortion” into the search area immediately brings the user to adverts for Marie Stopes abortion clinics.

A search of other topics indicates that Google is happy to display ads to its millions of users for many other services.

Typing the words “having an affair” reveals a list of ads aimed at those looking to engage in extramarital relationships.

There are sites advertising advice on outdoor and group sex when words such as “swinging” and “dogging” are typed in.

Google also appears to have few qualms about sites advertising the sale of knuckle-dusters and ouija boards, as well as thousands of ads for pornographic material.

A spokesman for the US company said yesterday: “Google policy does not permit the advertisement of websites that contain abortion and religion-related content. We only allow ads that have factual information about abortion.

“We recognise that this is a very emotive subject and that people have strong views on both sides. Google takes no view on this issue one way or the other as a company.”

The spokesman added ads for most weapons were not allowed and those for pornography were strictly monitored. Anti-abortion ads with no religious content would be permitted.

Mike Judge, of the Christian Institute, said the policy was anti-freedom of speech.

“It is insulting to say that a Christian perspective on the subject of abortion would not provide factual information. For Google to suggest that a religious belief means your views on abortion are not factual is outrageous and insulting to millions of religious people,” he said.

“The real test of freedom of speech is whether you allow the viewpoint of people you don’t agree with to be heard.

“By refusing to allow us to advertise, Google are taking away the opportunity to hear a religious point of view.

“That Google allows ads for all of these other products, including pornography and instruments of violence, shows how warped their value system is.” 

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23517828-2,00.html

 

 

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