From "Google to be Sued for Anti-Christian Discrimination for Refusing Advertising" by Hilary White, 4/8/08 at Lifesite.org
A pro-life and pro-family Christian lobbying and education organisation is taking the internet giant Google to court over the latter's refusal to allow advertisements about abortion that contain religious content. When the Christian Institute, a UK registered charity, asked Google for site-targeted advertising, the company refused citing the proposed ad for "inappropriate content". The Institute is suing, saying the refusal constituted discrimination on the grounds of religious belief, a violation of Britain's anti-discrimination laws.
A spokesman for the Institute said, "For many people, Google is the doorway to the internet. It is an influential gatekeeper to the marketplace of debate. If there is to be a free exchange of ideas then Google cannot give special free speech rights to secular groups whilst censoring religious views."
The company told the Institute, "Google policy does not permit the advertisement of websites that contain 'abortion and religion-related content'".
The Christian Institute had asked for an AdWords ad, one that offers pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. The refused ad would have read, "UK abortion law: news and views on abortion from the Christian Institute. http://www.christian.org.uk/". Had the company accepted the ad, internet users putting the word "abortion" into the search engine would have seen an ad for the Christian Institute on the right side of the search page.
The company, however, has no such qualms when it comes to ads for abortionists such as Marie Stopes International, who have an AdWord ad that appears now when the word "abortion" is typed into the search engine. Google is the world's largest and most successful internet search engine company, with over 80 million users a month.
As much as I detest Google's decision, I believe that Google should have the legal right to discriminate on the basis of their conscience - just as I believe all business and property owners should have the legal right to discriminate against what they believe to be immoral. For instance, a printer should be able to refuse to print pro-abortion literature. A church should be able to refuse to rent a hall for a civil unions ceremony.If Christians are going to demand the right to discriminate according to our beliefs, we have to be willing to give other people that same freedom. True freedom necessitates sometimes giving people the right to be wrong.
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