Microsoft says it will shut down LinkedIn in China, citing a “challenging operating environment” as Beijing tightens control over tech firms.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SADR.jpeg")
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TheNigerialawyer-WhatsApp-Channel1.jpg")
The US-based company will replace the career-oriented social network in China with an application dedicated to applying for jobs but without the networking features, according to the senior vice-president of engineering, Mohak Shroff.
“We’re … facing a significantly more challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements in China,” he said in a blog post on Thursday.
According to the Wall Street Journal, LinkedIn was given a deadline by Chinese internet regulators to better oversee content on the site.
Chinese authorities have been targeting a range of domestic tech behemoths for alleged monopolistic practices and aggressive harvesting of consumer data. The government has said it wants platforms to more actively promote core socialist values.
The drive is part of a wider government policy to tighten its grip on the world’s number two economy, including targeting private education, property and casinos.
Shroff said Microsoft would “sunset” the China version of LinkedIn and launch an InJobs application dedicated to connected professionals in that country with companies seeking employees.
LinkedIn, which launched in China in 2014 and lets people use personal and professional relationships to find jobs, said the new service would not include a social feed or the ability to share posts or articles.
Microsoft bought LinkedIn for just over $26bn in 2016 and has worked to build a presence in China despite concerns about online censorship.
In March, LinkedIn paused new sign-ups in China, saying it was working to be compliant with Chinese laws. Two months later, it was among 105 apps that was accused by China’s top internet regulator of illegally collecting and using personal information and was ordered to make rectifications.
The news website Axios reported last month that LinkedIn had blocked from its Chinese platform the profiles of several US journalists and academics which contained information China considers sensitive, citing “prohibited content”.
Facebook and Twitter have been banned in China for more than a decade. Google left the country in 2010 in response to a hacking attack and censorship.
The website of e-commerce giant Amazon is accessible in China, but the market there is dominated by local players such as Alibaba and JD.com.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR LAWYERS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE
Reimagine your practice with the power of AI “...this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic.” — Ohio Books Ltd
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe, Esq., ACIArb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director, Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
Bonus:
Get a FREE eBook titled “How to Use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion” with every purchase.
How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌐 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access directly online at: https://selar.com/prv626
______________________________________________________________________ New Year Promo: Get Five Maritime Law Books For N150,000 — 63% Discount
The promotion, which commenced on January 8 and runs until February 8, 2026, offers five core maritime law books authored by Dr. Emeka Akabogu, SAN, ordinarily valued at N405,000, for just N150,000 — a 63% discount.
Interested buyers can place their orders through the following channels:
Phone: 0704 329 3271
Online Store: https://paystack.shop/aa-bookstore
Website: www.akabogulaw.com
______________________________________________________________________
[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
_______________________________________________________________________
