Is Google Right to Ban Payday Loan Ads?

Even among the opinionated Gadfly columnists, some issues don't easily lend themselves to cut-and-dried judgments.

Three Gadfly technology writers on three continents had a heated debate about Google's announcement on Wednesday that it will stop showing ads next to Web-search results for "payday" loans. The decision bans a powerful marketing tool1463061727419 from providers of a category of short-term loans, which critics contend take advantage of low-income people by imposing onerous fees and interest rates. The lending companies say they are providing credit to people who can't obtain loans from traditional sources.