Microsoft Corp is pulling the plug on LinkedIn in China nearly seven years after its launch and will replace it with a stripped-down version of the platform that would focus only on jobs.
LinkedIn is the only major U.S.-owned social network operating in the country, where the government requires such platforms to follow strict rules and regulations.
“We’re also facing a significantly more challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements in China,” LinkedIn said in a blog post on Thursday, adding it did not find the same level of success in the more social aspects of sharing and staying informed like it has globally.
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LinkedIn said it would replace the Chinese service, which restricts posting of certain content due to regulatory requirements, with a new portal called InJobs.
The new service, which will be launched later this year, will not include a social feed or the ability to share posts or articles, it said.
California-based LinkedIn, which was bought by Microsoft in 2016, has become hugely popular globally with employers, employees and job seekers as its social media-like features make it easier for them to connect with one another, while building their professional network.
— Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru and Elizabeth Culliford in London
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