Monday, December 5, 2011

iPhones pro-life message


The London Independent newspaper carried an interesting story on Friday last Dec. 2nd. (I have seen it elsewhere, too), about that iconic and "essential" piece of modern technology, the latest version of the iPhone, the 4S.   It seems that the iPhone 4S, when using a feature called ‘Siri’, produces some information that is not at all pleasing to anti-life so-called ‘liberals’ in the United States.   ‘Ask Siri to find the nearest burger restaurant, or to remind you to call a dentist, and she’ll reply with Orwellian efficiency.  But, to the dismay of liberals across the land, requests for help dealing with unwanted pregnancies fall on stony ground.’  
Asked ‘where it might be possible get an abortion’, the iPhone’s Siri directs the enquirer ‘not to one of the city’s many Planned Parenthood clinics, but instead to anti-abortion “crisis centres” run by the religious right.’   When Siri (i.e., the iPhone) is asked why is she anti-abortion, the voice reply is ‘I just am!’.
The article quotes Brandi Swindell, the pro-life activist, as saying she is delighted with the information provided by the phone, and that the device is ‘embracing a position that promotes the dignity of women and upholds human rights in the womb.’

Unfortunately, however, Apple – the makers of the iPhone 4S – say that the pro-life messages on the phone were ‘the result of an unfortunate software glitch’, and that they are still developing the device and hope to ‘do better’ in the coming weeks by removing the pro-life assistance that can be accessed at present.    What a pity!