Microsoft-owned LinkedIn was one of the few US technology
companies to successfully operate a social media site in China, where the
internet is heavily regulated and censored.
The company had introduced a unique domestic version of the
career networking platform operated locally in order to comply.
In 2021, new sign-ups for the LinkedIn app in mainland China
were suspended by the firm, which referenced a "significantly more
challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements in
China".
Microsoft then replaced it with a simplified version called
InCareer, which allowed local professionals to continue to find and apply for
jobs as well as stay connected with their network.
"After careful consideration, we've made the decision
to discontinue InCareer effective August 9, 2023," the platform said in a
statement on Tuesday.
"Despite our initial progress, InCareer faced fierce
competition and a challenging macroeconomic climate, which ultimately led us to
the decision of discontinuing the service," LinkedIn said.
An email from CEO Ryan Roslansky published online added that
closing the China service would result in "a reduction of roles for 716
employees".
But a representative from the company told AFP that LinkedIn
would "continue to have a presence" in the country by focusing on
"assisting companies operating in China to hire, market, and train
abroad".
The US firm once achieved a rapid rise in China, benefiting
from a culture of connections, or "guanxi", in which one's contacts
and professional network are essential assets.
However, LinkedIn has been marginalised in recent years as
innovative local apps have surged in popularity.
Most US internet giants -- including Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram and YouTube -- have long been blocked in China as they fail to comply
with strict and often murky regulations.
Tech firms operating in the country are pressured to block
unwanted content and topics considered politically sensitive in the name of
social stability.
LinkedIn has come under fire in recent years for removing
the accounts of dissidents and erasing content on sensitive issues.
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