Chinese internet search engine Baidu has come under attack from the country’s technology regulator after a flood of complaints over false advertisements, pornography and leaks of personal information.
中国互联网搜索引擎百度(Baidu)受到国内技术监管部门的抨击,有大量举报投诉百度存在虚假广告,淫秽色情,泄露个人隐私等违法违规行为。
Nasdaq-listed Baidu has enjoyed a rapid rise, helped by Google shutting down its China site over censorship concerns in 2010, and along with Alibaba and Tencent is one of China’s internet trinity. However, disappointing half-year earnings in July suggest its star may be waning.
由于谷歌(Google)在2010年因担心审查制度而关闭了中国网站,纳斯达克上市的百度迅速崛起,与阿里巴巴(Alibaba)和腾讯(Tencent)一起成为中国互联网三巨头。但是百度去年7月发布的半年度盈利令人失望,似乎表明其星光可能正逐渐暗淡。
The latest scandal shows it is not too big to fend off criticism of unethical behaviour — or to evade the attentions of the regulator. The State Internet Information Office said it had grilled Baidu executives on Friday and that the company would face unspecified punishment.
最新爆出的这起丑闻表明,百度并未大到足以挡开对其不道德行为的批评,或逃过监管机构的关注。上周五,国家网信办约谈了百度高管,该公司将面临未指明的处罚。
In addition to several breaches, the regulator said: “Some search results on Baidu are not impartial or objective, and its news channel has spread harmful information involving violence and terrorism.”
国家网信办表示,除了存在违法违规信息,“百度还存在部分搜索结果有失客观公正、百度新闻炒作渲染暴力恐怖等有害信息问题。”
Baidu has apologised for seeking to financially exploit medical information bulletin boards and said it would stop the practice on its Tieba, or Post Bar, site.
百度已就企图利用医疗信息公告栏赚钱的行为作出道歉,并表示将制止其“贴吧”网站的这种做法。
Chinese netizens had attacked the company for replacing the volunteer moderator of its haemophilia-themed bulletin board with a private hospital that was accused of providing substandard care. The popular Tieba platform hosts about 19m forums devoted to a wide range of topics.
百度将血友病贴吧的志愿吧主换成一家被指不具备医疗资质的民营医院,此举受到中国网民的抨击。贴吧平台深受欢迎,它拥有1900万个论坛,主题范围广泛。
Baidu previously faced accusations of altering search results to feature entities that paid it to have their sites highly ranked. The incident also comes amid widespread public distrust of doctors and hospitals over accusations of corruption and shoddy care.
百度曾因改动搜索结果、让向其付费的实体提高排名而受到指责。最新事件发生之际,中国的医生和医院因腐败和低劣的医护服务而被指责,受到公众普遍不信任。
“Sixteen years ago, the two search engine companies [Google and Baidu] started at almost the same time. Sixteen years later, one company is researching the feasibility of quantum computing. By contrast, the other one is researching how to help other people sell fake medicine,” Sina Weibo user 5718276383 said on the Twitter-like social media platform.
新浪微博用户5718276383在微博(Weibo)——类似Twitter的社交媒体平台——上表示:“十五年前,美国和中国,两个搜索引擎公司几乎同时起步,十五年后,一个叫谷歌在研究量子计算机的可行性,另一个叫百度在研究如何帮人卖假药。”
Baidu said on Saturday it would partner with non-profit organisations to raise the quality of medical information on its Tieba site. In addition to problems on the haemophilia board, local media raised doubts about the qualifications of for-profit hospitals and pharmaceutical companies in charge of Tieba forums to dispense advice on high blood pressure, liver disease, vascular disease and uterine fibroids.
上周六百度表示将与非营利组织合作,提高贴吧医疗信息的质量。除了血友病贴吧爆出问题外,中国媒体还就一些营利性医院以及药企吧主是否有资质提供高血压、肝脏疾病、血管疾病和子宫肌瘤等疾病的建议提出质疑。
Local media reported that moderation rights to the most popular forums could fetch more than Rmb1m ($152,000) a year, with advertising agencies taking a commission for connecting Baidu with for-profit hospitals and pharmaceutical companies.
据中国媒体报道,一些热门贴吧的吧主权可以卖到每年100万元人民币(合15.2万美元)以上,广告公司负责联系百度与营利性医院和药企,从中抽取佣金。
“We’ve heard a broad range of criticism and advice from media and netizens, as well as the voices of Tieba users. This incident has exposed a dereliction of duty in the management of our Tieba commercialisation,” Baidu said on in a statement on its official Weibo account.
百度在官方微博账户上发声明表示:“我们收到广大媒体、网友的批评建议,也听到很多贴吧吧友的心声。这一事件暴露了我们在贴吧商业化运营管理上的失责。”
Baidu’s apology failed to quell all the critics. A group of 36 non-profits has filed a complaint with the Beijing Administration of Industry and Commerce accusing Baidu of violating China’s advertising law.
百度的道歉未能平息所有批评。36家非营利组织已联名向北京市工商局举报百度公司涉嫌违反中国广告法。
A Baidu spokesman declined to comment.
百度的一名发言人拒绝置评。