Microsoft said Thursday that it will withdraw LinkedIn from China later this year as it faces a “significantly more challenging operating environment and higher compliance requirements” in the country.
LinkedIn thrown out a localized version of its site in China in 2014. “We recognized that operating a localized version of LinkedIn in China would mean meeting the requirements of the Chinese government on Internet platforms,” LinkedIn wrote in a blog post. “While we strongly support freedom of expression, we take this approach to create value for our members in China and around the world.”
But now, LinkedIn said, “While we have been successful in helping Chinese members find jobs and economic opportunities, we have not found the same level of success in the more social aspects of sharing and staying informed.”
LinkedIn will launch a freelance employment app for China called InJobs later this year. You will not have a social feed or the ability to share posts and articles.
Earlier this year, Chinese regulators told LinkedIn to improve regulation of its content, The Wall Street Journal reported. LinkedIn recently started blocking certain profiles in China due to prohibited content, including journalists, researchers, and authors.
LinkedIn was the last US-based social media site to operate in China.
Microsoft acquired LinkedIn for $ 26.2 billion in 2016. The business social network surpassed $ 10 billion in annual revenue for the first time. LinkedIn has 774 million members and user sessions increased 30% in the quarter ending June 30 compared to the prior year.