Social Networking Watch

Chinese SN Block Baidu Indexing

CNET NEWS -- Sep 14 -- User privacy concerns on Chinese social networks have led the biggest players to block indexing by Baidu, China's leading search engine. The blogging site of Sohu.com, China's leading portal, as well as social networks including 51.com, Xiaonei, and Hainei have blocked Baidu's spiders from indexing the sites, Marbridge reported. Other search engines may also be blocked. The reasoning behind this move may reveal a pragmatic commitment to security by obscurity for people who post under their real names and may want to avoid attention from employers, acquaintances, and government monitors. FULL ARTICLE @ CNET NEWS

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Google's Investments In China

WASHINGTON POST -- Apr 14 -- Kai Fu-Lee, head of Google's China operations, said that the company is likely to make investments in both social networking and mobile firms in China, as part of a five-year plan to become the market leader. That mantle currently belongs to Baidu, which claims 60% market share. Google already made a few deals, including a recently revealed investment $1m in Comsenz, a provider of social networking and message board services. It's also a backer, to the tune of $5m, of P2P video service Xunlei. FULL ARTICLE @ WASHINGTON POST

Google Invests $1M In Chinese SN

VENTURE BEAT -- Mar 27 -- Google has invested $1 million in Comsenz, a Chinese provider of social network software. The news follows a report that Google is preparing to launch a joint music download venture in China, largely to take on Chinese search engine Baidu.com, which has been beating Google by offering free music. FULL ARTICLE @ VENTURE BEAT

Baidu Rumored to Launch Social Network

REDLINE CHINA -- Jan 17 -- China's leading search engine provider, Baidu, is planning on launching its in-house social networking platform. Baidu already offers various social products such as online forums and the WikiHow-like 'Baidu Knows'. FULL ARTICLE @ REDLINE CHINA

China Portal Sohu To Start Video-Sharing Service

REUTERS -- July 11 -- Chinese Web portal Sohu.com Inc. plans to launch a video-sharing service next week. Sohu is looking to re-position itself as a social networking site. Sohu had around 400,000 active online users. Sohu—"search fox" in Chinese—like many others is trying to gain traction against heavyweights Google Inc. and Baidu.com Inc., which together command three-quarters of the search engine market in China. China is the world's second-largest Web market, after the United States, with more than 140 million users. FULL ARTICLE @ PCMAG.COM

Google Invests in Chinese Video Site to Gain Users

BLOOMBERG -- Jan 5 -- Xunlei is Google's YouTube in China. Xunlei could help Google catch Baidu. Google will be a "strategic investor'' in the company. Google's share of China's market is one-third the size of Beijing-based Baidu's. 120 million use Xunlei. FULL ARTICLE @ BLOOMBERG