A group of big-name retailers, including Microsoft, Apple and Netflix, are in the spotlight after reports surfaced that a portion of the commission they pay to an Internet marketer is being funneled to groups that oppose homosexuality.

The marketer, Charity Giveback Group (CGBG) and formerly known as the Christian Values Network, gets a commission for each customer it sends to an e-commerce site. It's a common practice for many sites, but in this case CGBG donates a portion of the commission to a Christian charity of the customer's choice, reports the New York Times.

Such charities include the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family, both of which vocally oppose homosexuality.

It has set up a war of the words between advocates pushing for retailers to withdraw from the CGBG's network, and the Internet marketer and Christian groups who say the charities are being discriminated against.

As a result of the uproar, which was tipped off by a gay Seattle man in July, more than 100 retailers, including Microsoft and Expedia, have dropped out of the program.

But some that dropped out briefly -- Delta, PetSmart, Sam’s Club, Target and Wal-Mart -- have rejoined.

“People have been misled. The retailers are not donating to anyone; they are simply paying a commission to get traffic,” said CGBG president John Higgins in an interview.

The Times reports that Wal-Mart and Sam's Club rejoined because their marketing affiliates included “more than 43,000 diverse organizations” that “serve a wide range of interests with diverse viewpoints.”

But those who advocate for retailers leaving the network say it's not just about a conflict of values, but rather that some of the charities spread misinformation about homosexuality.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, organizations such as the Family Research Council are considered hate groups because they link homosexuality to pedophilia. The Law Center also says that some anti-gay groups, such as Focus on the Family, have moderated their views.

Though Microsoft hasn't spoken publicly about the issue, both Macy's and Expedia left the network, saying they value diversity.

According to Microsoft's diversity policy, it has been a "pioneer in workplace diversity," and one of the first to offer employee benefits to same-sex domestic partners. The company also has an active employee resource group, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Employees at Microsoft (GLEAM), organized in 1993 and now with more than 700 members.