Microsoft has made a decision to shut down the localized version of its LinkedIn social networking platform in China as it faced increased Internet censorship and “challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements.” This was reported in the company's official blog.
LinkedIn is a social networking site where professionals can find each other, communicate, and collaborate.
Instead, Microsoft will launch a new standalone jobs application called InJobs by the end of the year in China. It will also feature job search and networking options, but it won't have a news feed or the ability to share content.
LinkedIn was the last major American social network still operating in China, which has some of the strictest censorship rules. It was launched in China in 2014 and worked with limited functions. Social media platforms Twitter and Facebook have been blocked in the country for over a decade, and Google ceased operations in 2010.