In India aborting a fetus due to its gender has for a long time now been practiced, and while anomalous, it was widespread enough for the Indian government in 1994 to create the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDT). The act banned all forms of prenatal sex screening in India and held that anyone involved with female feticide (aborting a female fetus) would be punished.

One of the reasons for this culture of sex-selective abortions in India is an assumption that a female can be a burden on the family’s finances, perceived as unable to do much of the physical work a man can do, as well as being a dowry burden. According to one report taken in 1998 it was said that around 500,000 female fetuses were aborted in India each year in spite of the practice being called “shameful” and having been made illegal.

Much of the reason for the continuing selective abortions is because of more affordable ultrasound, according to reports. And while it’s illegal, laws are laxly enforced. This has led to online ads for sex screening in India becoming pervasive.

Ship up, or ship out tech giants

The India government is now trying to prevent pre-natal gender testing ads from appearing online. This week Microsoft, Google and Yahoo agreed to block ads after an order by India’s top court. The Health Ministry of India told the Supreme Court that the three tech giants had agreed, “to block 22 key-words relating to pre-natal gender testing,” according to the BBC. According to the same report the companies were told to follow India’s laws or “cease operations” in the country.

India’s male-to-female birth rate is higher in India than most parts of the world, and it’s thought that female feticide is the cause. Studies show the number of females born compared to males has been decreasing over the years. The reason is not just affordable ultrasound, but also because of the number of illegal clinics, as well as sex discrimination kits, advertised online. And the growing number of Indian internet users is also a major factor.

The tech companies had first been ordered to start blocking keywords in July, and they had replied to the court that it would be unfeasible because “good” content also would be blocked as a result. The reply from the Indian court was stern: “You can’t say that you are not technically equipped. If you say you are, get out of the market.”

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