Lost credibility

Last weekend China Central Television reported that Internet-search giant Baidu let unlicensed pharmaceutical companies pay for higher rankings on result pages, without warning citizens.

I personally cannot stomach Baidu's way of paid-search service. Every time I click to look for information via Baidu, all I find is the first result page stuffed with sponsored items, with non-paid yet useful links easily sinking into oblivion.

Some people may think that Baidu is not wrong in pursing higher revenues, but I believe it is guilty of sacrificing users' benefits in favor of commercialism by presenting to users the Web links of illegal medical firms on top of the page and thus posing them health risks.

Baidu's main rivals also provide paid listings, but they are clearly shown in a different box on the page, whereas Baidu muddles up the paid and non-paid results, and only put "promotion" in tiny letters at the end of each paid item. There is a strong likelihood of users treating the first batch of sponsored items as the definite answers. But what if they encounter a website of underground factory churning out fake drugs that may harm their lives?

Companies will lose their credibility and probably not achieve much when they are hell-bent on seeking profits irrespective of customers' rights.

Wang Ting in Shanghai

on China Daily website

Cutting tax a good move

Comment on "China to raise individual income tax threshold soon" (China Daily website, Nov 21)

Cutting taxes is a way to improve people's lives if they don't lose their jobs or have their wages cut.

China has placed too much investment in export-orientated industries.

I would hope that Chinese who see only disaster in the West start to study basic economics so that they can really see what has happened.

Tony

on China Daily website

Spend more to fuel economy

Comment on Li Hong's column "Spend, Spend, Spend" (China Daily website, Nov 21)

For those who really can afford it, it is not such a bad idea to spend more than usual. There may be bargains everywhere on the cheap. By spending more, they help the economy and secure their own future as well in a small way.

For those who are overstretched already, then holding the purse tighter might be the logical way to live for now. Just as businessmen say, to earn "big" money down the track, one has to spend "small" money upfront. And if you will not spend the "small" money now, you might never get the opportunity to see and earn big money down the track.

Richard

on China Daily website

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(China Daily 11/25/2008 page9)