Microsoft’s LinkedIn job site says it will shut operations in China, citing ‘greater compliance requirements’
- Network, criticised for censoring politically sensitive posts in China, says it is facing a ‘significantly more challenging operating environment’
- LinkedIn says it will open a China-only service that will ‘not include a social feed or the ability to share posts or articles”.
LinkedIn, the Microsoft-owned social media network for job-hunters and recruiters, announced that it will soon shut down its operations in China, after facing intense criticism for years over its decision to censor politically sensitive posts on its Chinese site.
“While we’ve found success in helping Chinese members find jobs and economic opportunity, we have not found that same level of success in the more social aspects of sharing and staying informed,” the company wrote on its website.
“We’re also facing a significantly more challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements in China.”
Instead, the company said, it will start a new China-only service “later this year” that will “not include a social feed or the ability to share posts or articles”.
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How China censors the internet
The post is attributed to Mohak Shroff, senior vice-president of engineering at LinkedIn.