Christian group in U.K. sues Google for refusing to accept ad

Published: 2008-04-10

LONDON (CNS) -- A Christian group is suing the Internet giant Google after it refused to take advertisements on abortion and religious content. The U.K.-based Christian Institute, a nondenominational Christian charity, wanted to place an AdWords advertisement so that when an Internet user typed the word abortion into the search engine a link would appear on the right hand side of the page saying: "U.K. abortion law: news and views on abortion from the Christian Institute. www.christian.org.uk." The Christian Institute announced April 8 that it has started legal proceedings against Google on the grounds that it is infringing the U.K. Equality Act 2006, which prohibits religious discrimination in the provision of a good, facility or service. The Christian Institute is seeking damages, costs and the permission to publish its advertisement. Google said it had a policy of declining ads from organizations that mix abortion with religion.

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