Netease Drops Music Search Service To Cut Piracy

From Financial Times (via BillboardPostPlay): Netease drops music service to cut piracy

"Chinese portal player Netease has suspended its online music search service over concerns about copyright piracy, a move that could create pressure on others such as newly listed Baidu.com to follow suit. Music companies have complained that MP3 search services offered by Chinese portals and search websites promote the distribution of unlicensed content (...) ."

"Baidu declined to comment on Tuesday on Netease's move or its plans for its own music search platform. Google does not offer a dedicated MP3 search service in China. Such services are offered by a range of other companies, however, including Sina, China's biggest portal."

"Music search services form one part of a debate over how to manage digital copyright, with some observers arguing that online search engines should not be held responsible for content accessed through their services."