It looks like China’s LinkedIn influencers and job seekers are going to need to change platforms. Last week, Microsoft (MSFT) announced it'll be shutting down its Chinese version of LinkedIn, citing "a significantly more challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements in China." Sounds like a nagging mother to us!
LinkedIn agreed to strict state restrictions and to block certain content when it launched in China back in 2014. LinkedIn ran afoul of these restrictions earlier this year when it landed on a list of 105 apps deemed to be violating data collection laws by the Chinese government.
LinkedIn isn’t giving up on China completely, though, and is reportedly working on a standalone job board app called InJobs. The app won’t feature any social feed or any way to share news articles, to avoid stepping on the regulator's toes.
Why it matters
Was it only a matter of time? LinkedIn was the last major US social media platform operating in China. Signal and Clubhouse were banned earlier this year, while Twitter (TWTR) and Facebook (FB) have been banned since 2009.