Daily US Times: Microsoft is shutting down LinkedIn in China, saying having to comply with the Chinese state has become increasingly challenging.
Microsoft’s decision comes after the career-networking site faced questions for blocking the profiles of some journalists.
Later this year, LinkedIn will launch a jobs-only version of the site, called InJobs.
But the version of LinkedIn will not include a social feed or the ability to share or post articles.
Mohak Shroff, the senior vice-president of the social networking site said in a blog post: “We’re facing a significantly more challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements in China.”
A in a statement, LinkedIn said: “While we are going to sunset the localised version of LinkedIn in China later this year, we will continue to have a strong presence in China to drive our new strategy and are excited to launch the new InJobs app later this year.”
LinkedIn had been the only major social media platform from the western world operating in China.
In 2014, when it launched in China, the firm had agreed to adhere to the requirements of the Chinese government in order to function there. But the firm also promised to be transparent about how it conducted business in China and said it disagreed with government censorship.
LinkedIn blacklisted several journalist accounts recently, including those of Greg Bruno and Melissa Chan, from its China-based website.
Mr Bruno told Verdict he was not surprised the Chinese Communist Party did not like it but was “dismayed that an American tech company is caving into the demands of a foreign government”. He has written a book documenting China’s treatment of Tibetan refugees.
In a letter to Microsoft boss Satya Nadella and LinkedIn chief executive Ryan Roslansky, US senator Rick Scott called the move a “gross appeasement and an act of submission to Communist China”.
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