[Ecommerce] Chinese search engine co appeals music download court ruling

[Michelle Childs]

Baidu appeals music download court ruling
EMI compensation claim
By John Oates
Published Tuesday 20th September 2005 09:44 GMT

Chinese search engine Baidu is likely to appeal a decision which found it
guilty of helping illegal distribution of music over the internet.

Although the company did not offer any download services directly it
provided links to websites which did. The action was brought by a Chinese
subsidiary of EMI, Shanghai Push, which demanded compensation for
copyright infringement of its songs. The lower Beijing court ordered Baidu
to pay compensation of $8,400.

But Baidu is appealing the decision and taking the case to a higher court.
Baidu's lawyers believe the decision was based on a misunderstanding of
how search engines work, Reuters reports.

Baidu faces similar action from Sony BMG, Vivendi and Warner, according to
the newswire.

Baidu aims to be the Chinese language equivalent of Google, the name
refers to an 800-year old poem which "compares the search for a retreating
beauty amid chaotic glamour with the search for one's dream while
confronted by life's many obstacles."

Baidu floated on Nasdaq last month and saw its share price double on the
first day, they are currently trading at $79.53 a share. The Chinese
government is keen to improve the country's perceived lack of respect for
intellectual property. =AE



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