Criticisms of Baidu's Business Practices

Baidu's business practices have been under scrutiny in recent years. The company has been accused of promoting low-quality content to increase ad revenue, which can lead to a poor user experience.

One notable example is the case of a fake news article that went viral on Baidu's search engine in 2019. The article, which was actually a paid advertisement, claimed that a certain celebrity had passed away, causing widespread panic and distress among fans.

Baidu's algorithms have also been criticized for favoring established businesses over smaller ones, making it difficult for startups to compete. This can stifle innovation and limit consumer choice.

As a result, many users have expressed frustration with Baidu's search results, which they feel are biased and unhelpful.

Baidu has faced criticism for its handling of malware and security issues. In 2017, malicious code was implanted on users' computers when they downloaded software from Baidu's websites, making it difficult to remove.

This incident raises concerns about the safety of Baidu's software downloads. The malicious code could be remotely controlled to hijack various types of traffic, including navigation portals and advertising networks.

Baidu's security issues don't stop there. In 2014, its Baidu Guardian software bundled the installation of rogue software, exploiting the vulnerability of Internet Explorer browser to install the software on computers without users' knowledge or authorization.

Baidu's website has a history of containing malicious code. This was first discovered in 2017, when Huorong Security Laboratory intercepted and analyzed malicious code implanted on users' computers when they downloaded software from Baidu's software download sites.

The malicious code was designed to remain hidden for extended periods and could be remotely controlled via the cloud to hijack various types of traffic. This included navigation portals, e-commerce sites, and advertising networks.

Baidu Guardian, a product released in 2014, also bundled the installation of rogue software. This was exposed by Zhou Hongyi, the author of 360 Antivirus, who called Baidu a "hundred poison company" and "a hooligan" on Weibo.

Baidu was sued by 360 in court, demanding an apology and compensation of 5 million yuan. This incident highlighted the risks associated with downloading software from untrusted sources.

In the past, Baidu's browser toolbar software, originally called Baidu Super Soba, forced users to install it and could not be completely uninstalled. This was identified as a piece of malware by the China Network Industry Association in 2005.

Baidu later renamed the software to Baidu Toolbar, claiming it could be completely uninstalled. However, some of Baidu's products continued to be bundled with other software, leading to the installation of multiple Baidu applications on users' computers without their knowledge.

Fake funeral home listings can be a serious issue, and it's essential to be aware of the problem. In July 2019, an elderly man from Shanghai encountered a fake funeral home listing on Baidu, which led him to pay nearly double the usual cost for funeral services.

The fake listing was for a funeral home called "Shanghai Longhua Funeral Home", but the phone number listed belonged to a different funeral home altogether. The staff insisted that the charges were in accordance with state regulations, but the actual Longhua Funeral Home had much lower fees.

Baidu's search results can be misleading, and it's crucial to verify the authenticity of the listings. The elderly man in this case only discovered the issue when he visited the actual Longhua Funeral Home the next day.

This incident highlights the importance of being cautious when searching for funeral services online. It's essential to check the website's authenticity and contact the funeral home directly to confirm their services and fees.

Domain name hijacking is a serious issue that can redirect users to malicious websites. In 2007, Google, Windows Live Search, and Yahoo! Kimo Search were hijacked and redirected to Baidu's domain.

Baidu's President Robin Li denied any involvement in the hijacking, but the incident drew widespread media attention.

The same year, some Beijing Netcom users experienced redirects to Baidu when trying to access VeryCD.com and other websites. Netcom's customer service staff claimed they were not involved in the matter.

In 2008, Shanghai Vixi announced that some Netcom users were experiencing redirects to Baidu when trying to access various websites, including international sites like IsoHunt.com and Mininova.org.

Baidu Netdisk restricted the download speeds of ordinary and ordinary member users after launching the "Super Membership" service.

Users complained about this restriction and Baidu officially denied it, claiming it "depends on [one's] bandwidth size."

Some users found ways to break Baidu Netdisk's speed limit, such as using third-party clients or super member accounts.

In response, Baidu Netdisk adopted a method of banning unofficial versions, making it fail to download Netdisk files.

If an account had many abnormal requests, it would be locked.

In 2021, Baidu Netdisk and other companies signed a "Self-Discipline Convention on User Experience Protection for Personal Netdisk Service Business", promising to launch "undifferentiated rate" products.

This means providing undifferentiated upload/download rate services for all types of users.

Baidu launched the Youth Edition of Baidu Netdisk, providing 10G storage space for free users.

However, it's unclear if the existing version and the Youth Edition of the cloud disk files can be interoperable.

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Baidu's team used at least 30 accounts to submit at least 200 submissions to the ImageNet test server, far exceeding the limit of two submissions per week.

This was a clear violation of the competition's rules.

The ImageNet Challenge organizers issued a statement on June 2, 2015, revealing the cheating.

As a result, Baidu was banned from submitting ImageNet test results in 2016.

Baidu's advertising and promotion practices have been marred by controversy. On April 24, 2019, a reporter searched for "over-the-counter allocation" on Baidu and found 5 out of 10 results on the first screen were advertisements for unqualified platforms.

These platforms are suspected of engaging in illegal securities business activities, including fraud using "virtual disks." The China Securities Regulatory Commission has reminded investors to stay away from over-the-counter capital allocation to avoid losses.

In 2018, writer Liuliu discovered that Baidu's search results for the official website of the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai were flooded with advertisements. Baidu apologized and removed related ads.

A similar issue occurred when Yan Feng searched for the "Turkey Visa Application Center" on Baidu and ended up paying nearly double the usual cost for the visa application. The top two results were third-party agencies, not the official website.

User privacy issues have been a significant concern for Baidu. On July 18, 2017, a we-media user reported that files publicly shared through Baidu Netdisk could be viewed and downloaded by anyone.

In 2013, a user named Ms. Zhu sued Baidu in the Nanjing Gulou District People's Court, claiming that Baidu recorded her search history without permission and disclosed her interests on other websites. This led to a two-trial case, with Baidu initially losing but ultimately winning the second trial.

Baidu's actions have raised questions about the company's commitment to user privacy.

User privacy issues have been a concern for Baidu Netdisk users. On July 18, 2017, a user reported that files publicly shared through Baidu Netdisk could be viewed and downloaded by anyone, posing a risk of user privacy leakage.

This incident highlights the importance of secure file sharing. Baidu Netdisk's lack of proper security measures allowed users' personal photos, address books, and other sensitive information to be accessed by anyone.

In 2020, the developer of PanDownload, Cai Mouming, was arrested due to allegations that the software leaked private photos and files without authorization. This move was seen as a crackdown by Baidu Netdisk on third-party Netdisks to protect its interests.

Baidu Netdisk's response to user concerns is also noteworthy. In 2022, a netizen claimed to have been hired as a manual reviewer for Baidu Netdisk, only to be told by the company that the rumor was false.

The story of Ms. Zhu from Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, is another example of Baidu's alleged privacy violations. In 2013, she sued Baidu for recording her search history and using it to display targeted advertisements, which she believed was an infringement of her privacy.

Baidu's cooperation with Putian hospitals to collect patient privacy through the "Baidu Golden Eye" system was also exposed in 2017, causing huge controversy.

Baidu Netdisk's user incentive program was launched in May 2019 to improve user experience, but it had a sneaky side effect: occupying bandwidth resources without users' knowledge.

The program used peer-to-peer technology, which can't be turned off temporarily, according to Baidu's official statement.

Many users found that even when they weren't using the software, it was still slowing down their network speed.

The rewards offered by the program were very uneconomical, with 1,000 points required to exchange for just over 5 minutes of high-speed downloads.

To put that into perspective, Baidu's own estimate was that earning 1,000 points per month would require maintaining a daily continuous contribution of 1MB/s bandwidth, 5G space, and 7 hours of online time.

In other words, users had to give up a lot of bandwidth and time to earn rewards that weren't even worth it.

Baidu eventually admitted the problem and cancelled the "User Incentive Plan" in the new version of their software released on April 21st.

In 2012, Baidu employees accepted bribes to delete posts for a fee. This was a serious breach of trust and a clear example of how incentives can go wrong.

A Baidu employee named Xu exploited his authority to delete posts, appoint, or dismiss moderators in Baidu Tieba to profit from the scheme. This abuse of power was enabled by Xu's position.

Xu received more than 80,000 yuan in kickbacks from his former colleague Lu, who was in charge of contacting external parties. This money was paid in exchange for Xu's actions.

The scheme involved deleting hundreds of posts, and it was only after Baidu reported the case to the authorities that Xu and Lu were arrested. This highlights the importance of having robust systems in place to prevent such incidents.

Baidu's handling of the situation shows that even large companies can take action to address wrongdoing when they become aware of it. This is a positive step towards maintaining user trust.

On August 9, 2017, multiple user accounts posted pornographic information in the comment area of Xiaoyuan Search Question within a short period. This incident was used to frame Xiaoyuan Search Question.

A public relations company spread the news that "Xiaoyuan Search Question is pornographic" on Weibo. The news was picked up by a TV station, which broadcast a report claiming that a child had secretly read pornographic content on Xiaoyuan Search Question.

The TV report featured an interview with a parent, Mr. Li, who complained to Xiaoyuan Search Question customer service to no avail. However, it was later revealed that "Mr. Li" was actually Wang, an employee of Baidu Homework Help.

Xiaoyuan Search Question produced evidence showing that the IP address of the user who posted pornographic information came from the IP address used by Baidu Homework Help's office location. This evidence contradicted the claims made by the TV report and the public relations company.

For more insights, see: Robin Li

Baidu has a history of copyright infringement issues. The US Special 301 Report criticized Baidu for providing MP3 music downloads, calling it China's most prominent music copyright infringement website.

Baidu has been accused of infringing copyright by using content without citing the source, with the Wikimedia Foundation and Hudong Baike making similar claims. Han Han even filed lawsuits against Baidu over copyright issues in 2011 and 2012, and Baidu lost both cases.

The company's lack of response to these allegations has only added to the problem, with some companies like Toutiao suing Baidu for copyright infringement. In one notable case, Toutiao won a lawsuit against Baidu, with the Haidian Court ruling that Baidu must compensate Toutiao for 160 yuan in economic losses.

In July 2019, a fake article impersonating Zhang Zixin's father was posted on Baidu News.

Baidu News' official Weibo account later confirmed that the account was opened with the authorization of the person concerned and operated by Baidu on his behalf.

However, the last message on the account was published without the consent of Zhang Zixin's father.

Baidu deleted the message and fired the editor in charge of the account.

This incident highlights the importance of verifying information before sharing it.

Baidu Encyclopedia has a copyright policy that states the original author retains copyright, but users often ignore this and reprint content without attribution.

Baidu has been criticized for providing MP3 music downloads, with Universal Music, EMI, and others calling it China's largest and most stubborn provider of pirated music.

The US Special 301 Report has criticized Baidu for copyright infringement, and the company has lost lawsuits over copyright issues, including one filed by Han Han in 2011 and 2012.

Baidu has also been accused of infringing copyright by using content without citing the source, including by the Wikimedia Foundation and Hudong Baike.

In 2013, a CCTV-2 program exposed the black chain of piracy among video websites, including Baidu, and the company has been criticized for transferring the risk of copyright infringement to individual users who upload video content.

Baidu has lost a lawsuit to Toutiao in 2018, with the court ruling that Baidu had disseminated an article without authorization and ordering the company to compensate Toutiao for 160 yuan in economic losses.

Baidu Tieba has been accused of providing netizens with many infringing original online literary works, but the company has since taken steps to crack down on piracy, including banning some novel Tieba and prompting users to comply with relevant laws and regulations.

Discover more: Google Employees Criticized Ceo Sundar Pichai during an All-hands Meeting.

Baidu's community platform, Baidu Tieba, has faced several controversies over the years. On May 1, 2016, China Business Taoluo published a report stating that the Putian department was the largest financier of Baidu's purchase of disease types.

The platform has also been banned in some colleges and universities, with the ban being lifted in December 2011. However, in 2016, Baidu officials removed the entire moderator team of the Tsinghua University Baidu Tieba, triggering a wave of Tieba disruptions.

In 2016, Baidu faced another controversy when netizens discovered that the company sold hemophilia bars and other disease stickers. This led to a public outcry, with many condemning the practice as insensitive and exploitative.

The Tieba Ban was a significant issue for Baidu, particularly in the educational sector. In 2009, colleges and universities banned Baidu Tieba, a popular online forum platform, due to concerns over its content.

This ban lasted for several years, with some colleges and universities lifting it as early as 2012. However, the ban was not entirely lifted, and Baidu Tieba was still restricted in many institutions.

In 2013, colleges and universities began to lift the ban on Baidu Tieba one after another, and the platform started to recruit Tieba moderators again. The ban on Baidu Tieba at some universities was also gradually lifted, and the Tieba moderator system was reformed.

However, the ban was not without controversy, and in 2016, Baidu officials removed the entire moderator team of the Tsinghua University Baidu Tieba, triggering a wave of Tieba disruptions.

Baidu's Tieba is a popular online community platform with millions of users. It's a great place to connect with others who share similar interests.

One of the main issues with Tieba is the prevalence of spam and advertisements. This can make it difficult for users to find relevant and useful information.

In 2018, a controversy arose over whether Baidu's promotion of certain content was an advertisement or not. This sparked a debate among users and raised questions about the platform's moderation policies.

Baidu has also been criticized for its content censorship practices. The company has a list of filtered keywords that are used to censor content in search results and other services.

Here are some examples of keywords that are commonly censored on Baidu:

In response to these criticisms, Baidu has made some minor adjustments to its search engine. However, some users are still concerned about the platform's commitment to transparency and user privacy.

Baidu's reputation has taken a hit in recent years due to controversies surrounding its business practices. The company's stock price has fallen, and some users have switched to alternative search engines like Microsoft Bing.

In 2019, an article was published criticizing Baidu's Baijiahao platform for having too much self-owned content. The article claimed that the quality of Baijiahao's articles was low and that the platform was primarily used for marketing and monetization purposes.

Baidu responded to the criticism by stating that the proportion of Baijiahao content in its search results was less than 10%. However, some users were skeptical of this claim and pointed out that the proportion of content on the first page of search results was more important than the overall proportion of content on the site.

Baidu Netdisk has faced criticism over user privacy issues.

In 2017, a user reported that files shared through Baidu Netdisk could be viewed and downloaded by anyone, posing a risk of user privacy leakage.

A netizen claimed that he could review photos uploaded by users as a manual reviewer for Baidu Netdisk, but the company denied this was true.

The developer of PanDownload, a third-party Netdisk, was arrested in 2020 for allegedly leaking private photos and files without authorization.

Tieba users often engage in heated debates about homework help, with some arguing that it undermines the learning process and others seeing it as a necessary resource.

In 2019, a survey found that 62% of Tieba users believed that homework help was necessary for students.

The debate surrounding homework help is not new, with some users recalling similar discussions from the early 2000s.

Tieba administrators have taken steps to address the issue, implementing rules that prohibit users from posting homework assignments without permission.

However, some users continue to circumvent these rules, leading to ongoing disputes about the role of homework help in the community.

In fact, a 2018 study found that 75% of Tieba users had used the platform to ask for homework help at some point.

Despite the controversy, many users appreciate the convenience and support that homework help provides.

Baidu has a rather infamous nickname among its critics. It's called "Bǎi Dú", which literally translates to "Hundred Poisons" in English.

This nickname is commonly used by Baidu's critics, including both its users and competitors.

Baidu may face tougher rules after state media criticism. Analysts and state media have suggested this could happen in response to an investigative report by China Central Television (CCTV).

The report exposed how easy it was to register and promote a fake website on Baidu's search platform and conduct fraud. This has sparked concerns about the company's business practices.

Wallace Cheung, an analyst at Credit Suisse in Hong Kong, believes the report could trigger government investigations into Baidu's paid search business model and potential regulations to protect customer rights.

Baidu was rumored to be involved in the Zhou Yongkang and Bo Xilai incident.

Robin Li, the founder of Baidu, had a secret meeting with Bo Xilai and Zhou Yongkang in March 2010.

Baidu, China's dominant search engine, may face tougher regulations after state media criticized its business practices.

Analysts suggest that Baidu's paid search business model could be under scrutiny, with potential regulations to protect customer rights.

Baidu's search market share has grown significantly, capturing 76% of the market in the second quarter of 2023.

The company's dominance has raised concerns about its impact on the market and potential unfair competition.

In 2009, Baidu was exposed for allowing vulgar content on its platforms, including Baidu Tieba and Baidu Space.

The company was criticized for not taking adequate measures to clean up the content.

Baidu has since implemented measures to remove vulgar content, but it remains a concern for the company.

The Chinese government has been actively working to clean up the internet, with campaigns such as the "Clean Internet" campaign in 2014.

Baidu Netdisk, a file-sharing service, was investigated for spreading pornographic content and was forced to take measures to clean up its platform.

The company has also been involved in controversies over censorship, including blocking search results for keywords related to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

Baidu's CEO, Robin Li, has stated that the company must comply with Chinese laws and regulations.

The company has been accused of being an agent and executor of Chinese government policies, blocking information that mentions the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

A lawsuit was filed in 2011 by eight New York residents, accusing Baidu and the Chinese government of blocking and censoring web pages.

The case highlights the complexities of government and industry relations in China.

A list of some of the controversies surrounding Baidu's content censorship practices:

Baidu shares plummeted more than 6 percent after an article criticizing the company went viral on social media platforms.

The article, titled The Search Engine Baidu Is Dead, claimed that more than half the online search results from Baidu are pointing to its own products.

Baidu shares closed at $160.39 on Tuesday, down 6.4 percent from the previous trading day.

Baidu responded to the criticism by stating that Baijiahao content accounts for less than 10 percent of the total search results.

Baijiahao is an important way to enhance the content experience for Baidu app users, according to the company.

There are currently 1.9 million original authors on Baijiahao, covering all authoritative media and advisory agencies, as well as some quality media platforms run by individuals.

Baidu's vice-president, Shen Dou, said that the author of the article should respect the facts, pointing out that Baijiahao is not a platform that focuses on marketing.

The article also reflects China's internet development phenomenon, which is gradually moving closer to fragmentation, according to Shen Dou.

Baidu's promotion practices have been at the center of controversy, with some questioning whether it constitutes an advertisement.

In 2009, Baidu's Baidu Tieba and Baidu Space were exposed by the China Illegal and Adverse Information Reporting Center for containing vulgar content, including obscene and pornographic material.

Baidu Tieba implemented a ban on Chinese college and university Tieba in May 2009, restricting users to only browsing posts and not posting or replying.

The ban was likely an attempt to suppress speech around the 20th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.

The incident sparked widespread dissatisfaction among Tieba users and other enthusiasts, with many flooding the forum with disruptive posts and targeting private server websites with DDoS attacks. Temporary protection measures were implemented, restricting posting to the moderation team.

Rumors spread that individuals associated with the "Fleet Collection" private server had forcibly taken control of the Tieba, and that the moderators' accounts had been hacked. Baidu officials denied these claims, but the incident left a lasting impact on the community.

In 2014, Baidu Netdisk was criticized for its role in spreading restricted content, including pornographic material. The company self-censored files uploaded by users and deleted certain content restricted in mainland China. However, users found that some videos on their online disks had been replaced with "8-second educational videos", raising concerns about user data privacy.

Baidu Netdisk's efforts to clean up pornographic and other restricted content have been ongoing, but the company has faced criticism for not doing enough to protect user data.

In 2014, Baidu Guardian bundled the installation of rogue software, exploiting the vulnerability of Internet Explorer browser to install software on computers without user knowledge or authorization.

Zhou Hongyi, the author of 360 Antivirus and chairman of Qihoo, called out Baidu on Weibo, labeling them a "hundred poison company" and a "hooligan." This led to a lawsuit from Baidu, demanding an apology and 5 million yuan in compensation.

Baidu's browser toolbar software, originally called Baidu Super Soba, forced users to install it and could not be completely uninstalled, earning it a spot on the China Network Industry Association's list of malware in 2005.

Baidu later claimed their software, now called Baidu Toolbar, could be completely uninstalled, but the damage was already done, and users began referring to Baidu's practice of bundling software as the "Baidu Family Bucket."