Media Alert: Charmaine Quoted on the Google Abortion Decision

Charmaine has been quoted by a number of outlets on Google’s recent policy decision to accept ads from pro-life supporters

ABC News Google OKs Religious Groups’ Abortion Ads

Google Agrees to Place ‘Factual’ Abortion Ads; Groups on Both Sides Question What That Means

By KI MAE HEUSSNER

Sept. 18, 2008–

As part of an out-of-court settlement with a British Christian organization, Google agreed Wednesday to display anti-abortion ads purchased by religious groups.

In April, The Christian Institute took legal action against the Internet search giant when Google did not approve an abortion-related ad with the text:

UK Abortion law

Key views and news on abortion law from The Christian Institute

www.christian.org.uk

At the time, Google said its policy did not permit the advertisement of Web sites that contain “abortion and religion-related content.”

Arguing that it was being treated differently because of its religious beliefs, the institute filed a lawsuit against Google under the U.K. Equality Act 2006, a law that prohibits religious discrimination.

Instead of continuing to fight the case in the court, Google reviewed its abortion ads policy and agreed to revise its policy….

Stateside, religious and anti-abortion rights groups are hailing Google’s decision as a victory for both free speech and people of faith.

“We really applaud Google for making the right decision and standing by freedom of speech. It really was outrageous to censor The Christian Institute,” Charmaine Yoest, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit, anti-abortion organization Americans United for Life (AUL), told ABCNews.com.

Yoest said AUL had not attempted to purchase abortion-related ads on Google. But she said she had observed discrimination when attempting to purchase ads for print campaigns.

“They raise the rates — that’s usually the kind of discrimination [we see],” she added.

NewsMax, Google Reverses Field, To Accept Pro-life Ads

Thursday, September 18, 2008 12:05 PM

By: Jim Meyers

Facing a legal challenge, the Internet search giant Google has relented and agreed to accept pro-life ads for the first time.

In April, The Christian Institute — a British organization — took legal action when Google did not approve an anti-abortion ad.

Google said at the time that its policy did not allow ads for Web sites containing “abortion and religion-related content.”

Also see It Wasn’t Easy…BUT Google Agrees to Pro-Life Ads