Sign of Baidu forum seen at a exhibition in Shanghai on May 28, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese online search engine Baidu has responded to recent reports and complaints from netizens regarding its late-night promotion of gambling sites, claiming it is the gambling sites themselves that have broken relevant rules and unilaterally initiated the illegal marketing.

Baidu says it has reported the case to the police and is now collecting evidence for investigation.

The Internet giant published a statement via its official weibo account saying that the gambling sites in question opened their accounts on Baidu's subordinate online marketing service provider e.baidu.com at the end of April.

But they did not launch any promotions until 11 p.m. on June, says the statement.

According to Baidu, their accounts on e.baidu.com had be ceased as of 6 a.m. on June 26.

Baidu says gambling is a serious breach of law, adding that the company has always resolutely banned any marketing campaigns in gambling.

The company says it also welcomes netizens and the media to help identify false and illegal information on its whistleblower website jubao.baidu.com.

However, a report from The Beijing News finds that these gambling sites have been conducting such "promotions" for some two months.

The report says that the gambling sites "stole" several companies' qualifications to secretly come online at midnight labeled with "commercial promotion".

But clicks on those links appearing to be some normal companies' websites would actually lead netizens to the gambling sites.

This problem seem to only occur during late night hours, and in the morning the gambling sites go offline and those companies' links return to what they should have been, directing online users to legitimate company websites.

Conversely, Baidu Promotion's salesmen are just trying to expand the business by promoting some grey or even illegal sites, such as gambling, health products, etc, says The Beijing News.

The promotion fees and expenses of a gambling site allegedly can amount to upward of 300,000 yuan, or around US$4,4769 per night, according to The Beijing News.

It is not the first time for Baidu to suffer from such a scandal. The company was criticized for influencing the treatment choice of a now deceased cancer patient, Wei Zexi who died on April 12, by presenting misguiding medical information.

The news created a great stir in the country.

China's authorities later published a set of regulations on the country's search engines after this scandal, urging search engines to enhance oversight on their advertisers.

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)