Baidu: Already in Compliance with Most of New Online Search Rules
Xinhuanet, 6/26/16
Chinese internet company Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) has announced that it will improve self-regulation of its search engine in order to comply with new rules recently issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC). Baidu also said it welcomed monitoring from the public, and will process search result complaints through the company's customer service center (help.baidu.com) in a timely manner.
The CAC yesterday issued new online search regulations which include setting up information safety management systems, such as mechanisms for public information review and real-time monitoring. Other requirements include limiting the number of paid search results and making clear the distinction between paid and natural search results.
Baidu last month announced reforms to how the company displays search results and already meets most of the criteria outlined in the CAC's new rules. For example, Baidu limited the number of ads on the search results page to four, and changed the text that indicates whether a result is a paid advertisement by doubling the length from "Advertisement" to "Commercial Advertisement."
Editor's Note: For more background on this topic, please see "China's Internet Regulator Issues New Online Search Rules" MD 6/25/16, "Chinese Regulators Impose Stricter Rules for Baidu's Healthcare Search" MD 5/09/16, "Baidu Changes Designation on Paid Search Results to 'Commercial Promotion'" MD 5/19/16 and "Baidu Limits Number of Search Ads Per Page to Four" MD 5/25/16 issues.
Keywords: Internet regulation online search Baidu BIDU Cyberspace Administration of China search advertising