A Beijing appeals court has found top Chinese search engine Baidu.com not guilty of property rights infringement for posting links to websites offering illegal music downloads, state media said Monday. (Source AFP/Xinhua)
This ruling is important for the Jurisprudence it creates – not so much for the money – 1.67 million yuan (222,666 dollars). EMI, Sony BMG, Warner Music and Universal Music can no longer attack as easily search engines for giving access to these web sites which distribute illegally their music catalogues. It makes it harder for them to get their copyrights respected in Asia, stimulates illegal players, reinforces the search coverage of Baidu.com and others, hence growing their advertising revenue potential. It pushes the music industry to create new models of digital distribution in the region.
The appeal
More in French Le Figaro