Chinese search engine Baidu is likely to appeal a decision which found it guilty of helping illegal distribution of music over the internet.

Although the company did not offer any download services directly it provided links to websites which did. The action was brought by a Chinese subsidiary of EMI, Shanghai Push, which demanded compensation for copyright infringement of its songs. The lower Beijing court ordered Baidu to pay compensation of $8,400.

But Baidu is appealing the decision and taking the case to a higher court. Baidu's lawyers believe the decision was based on a misunderstanding of how search engines work, Reuters reports.

Baidu faces similar action from Sony BMG, Vivendi and Warner, according to the newswire.

Baidu aims to be the Chinese language equivalent of Google, the name refers to an 800-year old poem which "compares the search for a retreating beauty amid chaotic glamour with the search for one's dream while confronted by life's many obstacles."

Baidu floated on Nasdaq last month and saw its share price double on the first day, they are currently trading at $79.53 a share. The Chinese government is keen to improve the country's perceived lack of respect for intellectual property. ®

Related stories

Baidu sued by Chinese copyright group (3 March 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/03/baidu_sued_chinese_copyright_society/
Music industry sues Baidu (5 February 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/05/ifpi_baidu_china_yahoo/
Music industry hails China deep-linking victory (3 January 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/03/china_mp3_copyright/
Google sheds China investment (23 June 2006)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06/23/google_sheds_baidu_stake/
Publishers scrap over DTI ecommerce initiative extension (9 December 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/12/09/dti_consultation/
'China has f*cked us' - Bill Gates (7 September 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/07/microsoft_google/
Yahoo! assists Chinese dissident conviction (7 September 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/07/yahoo_china_dissident_case/
Chinese go mental for nude web chat (30 August 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/30/undressed_web_chat/
Campaigners quiz Google on China play (19 May 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/05/19/rsf_google_china/
Google goes to China (11 May 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/05/11/google_china/