Baidu removes search listings to rebuild trust

Chinese internet search engine Baidu said it removed paid search listings of some customers, especially unlicensed pharmaceutical and medical companies, in a move to build credibility after damaging media reports over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal reported. State broadcaster CCTV reported that some paid links sponsored by Baidu claimed that some unlicensed firms were legitimate, and that the company denies links to companies that do not pay for special placement in search results. Baidu rejected the latter claim, but admitted that some companies may have used its paid-search platform for "questionable purposes." The links that were removed account for 10-15% of Baidu’s revenue, and will be restored once the customers’ licenses are verified. Baidu has two-thirds of China’s online search market by revenue, nearly three times its closest competitor, Google.