Google, Yahoo, other search engines will block sex determination info to stop female foeticide.
Search engines Google, Yahoo and Microsoft have enabled a system to block ads on sex determination online, the government told the Supreme Court today.
A system called auto block will stop ads on sex determination tests.
The companies told the court that they have identified 22 key words including "sex determination" that will be harder to search.
"Keeping in mind the sensitivities attached to this issue and to ensure that technology is used in right earnest to curb this retrograde practice, we have decided to disable certain terms from appearing as autocomplete predictions as well as display a warning message on relevant searches to inform users of the unlawful nature of this subject," a Google spokesperson said in a statement.
The companies informed court that any other keywords apart from the 22 will be incorporated in the auto block system if suggested by the petitioner, Sabu George.
Dr George had moved court alleging that online search engines displaying ads of sex determination kits was a violation of laws in India, which ban such tests.
The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act was brought in to stop female foeticides and arrest the declining sex ratio in India.
Directed by the court, the centre met with the search engine giants, who agreed to put the auto block system in place.