Apple iPhone search Siri helps users find prostitutes and Viagra but not an abortion

Siri - one of the most popular features of Apple's new iPhone 4S - drew the ire of bloggers and the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League when it could not locate abortion clinics when asked.

The service is a voice activated, electronic personal assistant designed to 'help you do the things you do every day.'

It will direct users to a Chinese restaurant or tell you what time the doctor opens.

However NARAL's president, Nancy Keenan has complained to Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook that Siri is not providing customers with accurate or complete information about women's reproductive-health services.

Megan Carpentier, a feminist blogger also discovered this week that users in Washington DC who ask the device where they could get an abortion were directed to anti-abortion crisis centre run by religious groups.

And users in New York found that when they made the same request were told "I didn't find any abortion clinics." When Siri is asked why it is anti-abortion she replies: "I just am."

Apple claims Siri's inability to pull up information was not intentional, blaming the flaw on the fact it was still in beta, or testing, phase.

For those who thought Apple may have programmed a moral stance into Siri they can be assured that it is capable of locating prostitutes, Viagra and gun shooting ranges.

Now the American Civil Liberties Union has launched a petition calling for Apple to fix the bug.

"If Siri can tell us about Viagra, it should not provide bad or no information about contraceptives or aborion care."

However Brandi Swindell, a prominent anti-abortionist said she was thrilled that the device is promoting the dignity of woman and 'upholding human rights in the womb.'

Apple uses a variety of online resources to search for information and relies mainly on review website Yelp for local businesses.

''Our customers want to use Siri to find out all types of information and while it can find a lot, it doesn't always find what you want,'' Apple spokeswoman Natalie Harrison said.

''These are not intentional omissions meant to offend anyone, it simply means that, as we bring Siri from beta to a final product, we find places where we can do better, and we will in the coming weeks.''