Kidney Stone Gate: Baidu Denies Censoring Search Results

Soon after the Sanlu poisonous milk powder news came out, a copy of letter from the Teller public relations firm to the Sanlu Group began spreading on the internet. In the letter, Teller advised Sanlu to pay Baidu 3 million RMB to have Baidu manage search results containing negative news about Sanlu (supposedly not all news could be censored but most results coming from smaller websites could be deleted). When Baidu heard the rumors, they quickly denied working with Sanlu. A representative from Teller also said the letter was fake.

On September 13th, “21st Century Economic Report” reported that Baidu admitted receiving a “Sanlu Public Relations Crisis Proposal” letter from a public relations firm, but Baidu could not confirm that it was the Teller firm.

The source also stated that although Baidu cannot confirm whether or not Sanlu adopted the public relations firm’s recommendations, Baidu has never entered into cooperation with Sanlu. “Right now, anyone can find in Baidu’s search results information related to Sanlu milk powder, Baidu did not delete.”

But this reporter discovered that all of the Sanlu news on Baidu only appeared after September 12th.  Using a widely circulated popular internet post title “Sanlu, please do not make excuses in the face of children’s lives and health” as a keyword search, September 12th afternoon: Google showed 11,400 results, while Baidu only had 11 results.

September 13th morning: Google shows 11,800 results, while Baidu “shot up” to 54 results.

Baidu also recently released a full statement. A summary of the basic points:

• Baidu’s most important value is to seek truth from facts.
• Baidu has major impact in the field of new meida.
• Baidu received a fax from a public relations firm on September 9th, asking Baidu to help censor negative news about Sanlu.
• Baidu “sternly rejected” the proposal because it “violated company regulations and principles of transparency.”
• The public relations firm again approached Baidu on September 12th.
• Baidu rejected them a second time.
• In accordance with company policy regarding similar situations, only a few people in Baidu knew of the communications and repeated rejections.
• “Facts speak louder than words, Baidu has provided objective, timely, and neutral comprehensive information to all internet users who care about this matter.”
• Baidu is proud of how it handled the Sanlu incident.
• Baidu again expresses its committment to its new media communication responsibilities of providing comprehensive, objective, and timely information in all major public incidents.

Comments on Tianya, “From Baidu suddenly appears ‘Censorship Gate’?“:

Having seen Baidu being shameless, I never thought they could be this shameless, helping a villain do evil.
Look at Baidu’s medical disease name search, the first few results are all advertisements for bad hospitals and pharmaceutical factories! A lot of uncurable diseases, they all say can be cured!!! They actually put these kind of websites as the top results!!!
It will endanger countless gullible people.

September 12th at night, used “Sanlu kidney stones” keywords on Baidu search, only two pieces of information. The same keywords on Google search, over 18,000 results!
Are they censorsing, they certainly know!
Trashy Baidu!

Test #3:
“Sanlu children”
baidu: 76000
google：973000
Fuck, no more testing, what is this?! Baidu!!!

For this to happen with Baidu is natural, it is “basic common sense” in the industry, Baidu’s growth history testifies to it all.
Usually, when there is a controversial incident, Baidu cannot be trusted, I usually always go on Google, Baidu is motherfucking disgusting. Let us see how Baidu explains this time.
“Sanlu, please do not make excuses in the face of children’s lives and health.”
Title test…
Baidu: 13 results.
Google: 11,800 results.
Haha, this game is really fun!

“Sanlu milk powder incident”
Baidu found about 100,000 related webpage results.
Google: 256,000 search results matching “Sanlu mik powder incident”

I just did the same search on Baidu and Google.cn. Baidu had 165,000 results. Google.cn had about 321,000 results.

It is only because Baidu is a domestic company that I keep using it. Now seeing Baidu do this kind of thing, I feel very disappointed.
In the past, I would scold people who drove Japanese cars because I did not understand why they did not support domestic brands. But now I see, eating domestic brand Sanlu will poison me, using Baidu search will be censored, I finally understand. No choice!

Baidu’s Li Yan Hong is a small [bad] person! (looks are not bad, but is a traitorous type).
At the time, it was only because Google was blocked that they were able to build up.
What technology? It was all plagurized from Google.
Not to say that Google is good, but rather Baidu honestly is dirty.

I also just searched, and it is really true, everyone can verify. Looks like everything the LZ said is the truth, Sanlu really did pay 3 million RMB to have their public relations firm do censorship. Using Yahoo to search, you can find 1910 results, but using Baidu there are just 3 results, why? Anyone with a discerning eye knows with just one look. Do not use Baidu!!

Made a comparison. Nothing can be said! Baidu and Sanlu will abandon anything for money!

Currently, after two days, Baidu still only has 62 results while Google.cn has about 22,000 results.

Do not drink Sanlu milk powder, do not search with Baidu.
If you cherish your life, refuse Sanlu; avoid deception, abandon Baidu.

Not sure how Baidu is going to explain to American shareholders that they accepted that money.

Many of the comments on Tianya are people comparing the different search results between Baidu and Google. Also on that topic was a poll. Here are the results at around 9:00pm September 16th:

1. Before the Sanlu incident, were you used to using Baidu or Google? (4,183 votes)

Baidu.
66.6%
Google.
32.6%
Other search engines.
0.8%

2. Do you think Baidu took Sanlu’s money? (4,153 votes)

Yes, Sanlu information results from Baidu and Google are completely different.
74.9%
Hard to say.
21.7%
No, Baidu only received Sanlu’s public relations correspondence.
3.4%

3. After the Sanlu incident, will you still use Baidu search engine? (4,127 votes)

Will not use, companies with a sense of justice is what China needs.
57.0%
Does not matter, whoever has good search service, I will use.
27.8%
Use, even though the Censorship Gate incident occurred, I still support the national brand.
15.1%

As you can see, many Chinese netizens do not really believe Baidu and have lost confidence in Baidu. What do you think?

This is Part 4 of the the Sanlu Milk Powder Incident, see also:

• Kidney Stone Gate: Fake Baby Milk Powder, Sanlu & Baidu? (Part 1)
  
• Kidney Stone Gate: Sanlu Paid Consumers To Keep Quiet (Part 2)
  
• Kidney Stone Gate: Sanlu Apology & Melamine Test Results (Part 3)
• Kidney Stone Gate: Latest Updates & Funny Sanlu Photoshops (Part 5)