Google warned not to censor pro-life pregnancy centers

A group of pro-life state attorneys general announced that it will take action against Google if the company censors search results to exclude pro-life pregnancy centers as pro-abortion House members have demanded, according to the Christian Post.

Pro-abortion legislators want to “limit the appearance of anti-abortion fake clinics” in Google Ads and on Google Maps. They consider these pro-life centers “dangerous” to women because they don’t offer or refer for abortion, even though they do provide women with free services, free baby gear, and free baby clothing. Some are able to provide housing as well. Virginia’s Attorney General Jason Miyares and Kentucky’s Attorney General Daniel Cameron joined 15 other state attorneys general in telling Google CEO Sundar Pichai that if the company caves to the pro-abortion legislators, it will face an investigation.

“Complying with these demands would constitute a grave assault on the principle of free speech,” they wrote in the letter to Google. “‘Unbiased access to information,’ while no longer a component of Google’s corporate creed, is still what Americans expect from your company. ‘[S]tudies have found web users are more likely to find and trust news through search than social media sites.”

READ: Pro-abortion lawmakers want Google to further suppress pregnancy center ads

The pro-abortion legislators don’t think that women searching for abortion online may want or expect to find alternatives to abortion as well. Many women who search for abortion may not be sure of that choice and would be glad to find other options or someone to talk with.

The attorneys general warned Google that “suppressing pro-life and pro-mother voices at the urging of government officials would violate the most fundamental tenet of the American marketplace of ideas.” They also warned that if the company does hide pro-life resources from women, “Our offices will (1) conduct thorough investigations to determine whether this suppression violates the antitrust laws of the United States and our States; (2) investigate whether Google’s conduct amounts to an unlawful act of religious discrimination under state law; and (3) consider whether additional legislation — such as nondiscrimination rules under common carriage statutes — is necessary to protect consumers and markets.”

Google has two options according to the attorneys general: “protect the freedom of the marketplace of ideas or face legal consequences.”

More than 800,000 people have been saved by pregnancy resource centers in just five years (2016-2020). In 2019 alone, the Charlotte Lozier Institute found that pro-life pregnancy centers served nearly 2 million people, saving communities nearly $270 million. Those services, including material assistance, are valued at nearly $27 million.

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