Chinese internet firms including Tencent, Youku Tudou and Sohu.Com along with the Motion Picture Association of America have sought $49.2m in damages from Baidu and QVOD over alleged online piracy.
According to Joint Action Against Online Video Piracy in China, the Chinese internet company Baidu and others had deployed an automated process to capture content from the other firms and have also violated copyrights.
The alliance has already filed over 100 lawsuits against copyright breaches by Baidu and Shenzhen QVOD Technology for ever more serious online video piracy.
The alliance is also considering taking measures against video piracy and pirated links, meaning users would not be able to access Baidu’s video products with immediate effect.
Baidu said in a statement that the company has always attached great importance to copyright protection in the video industry: "As piracy is a common problem confronting the video industry, Baidu will continue to intensify a crack down on piracy."
Baidu’s products including online video search engine, video playing software, the video mobile app and Baidu Video Stick have violated copyright.
