Qihoo 360 rejects medical ads amid Baidu probe

Chinese internet and mobile security service provider Qihoo 360 has decided to suspend all consumer-related medical service marketing amid probe on Baidu’s health-care advertising operation that reportedly led to a college student’s death.According to the South China Morning Post, Qihoo 360, the second largest market share in mainland China’s search engine market, released a statement declaring its decision to stop all medical-related advertising as the investigation on Baidu continues."We have . . . realised that as long as online promotion for the medical industry exists, it is not possible to eliminate the harm that users could encounter," the company stated, adding that they vow to provide "safe, clean and trustworthy search engine services" for its users.Early in May, the leading Chinese internet company found itself in a pickle after authorities decided to probe its accountability for what happened to the 21-year-old cancer patient Wei Zexi who used its search engine to look for a reputable treatment for his rare cancer.Related article: Baidu’s credibility on the line after search results lead to student death