The Christian Institute might initiate legal action over Google’s refusal to host its anti-abortion advert. The Christian Institute wanted to pay the search engine so that when the term ‘abortion’ was typed into it, a link to a Web page on its views popped up on the screen. The link would have mentioned: “UK abortion law - news and views on abortion from the Christian Institute”, and then users could have clicked on to it to access the web site. However, Google has a policy of declining web sites that mix topics, such as abortion with religious views and hence, refused the request.

The UK based Christian organisation is now taking the Internet search company to court. They are retaliating after the search engine giant termed their advertisement as ‘unacceptable content’. Embryonic stem cell research, chemical conception and abortion are opposed by The Christian Institute. A spokesman for the Institute, Mike Judge said, “If there is going to be a free exchange of ideas, Google cannot give special free speech rights to secular groups even whilst censoring religious views.”

“It does seem to me to be the most appalling and blatant case of religious discrimination,” stated Anne Widdecombe, MP and also a member of the Conservative Christian Fellowship who also happens to be backing the organisation. The group was looking to advertise their pro-life issues based online articles.