(Beijing) The professional social network LinkedIn announced on Tuesday the imminent end of its last application available in China, its American owner Microsoft citing in particular “fierce competition” and a “difficult macroeconomic climate”.
The computer giant was one of the few American internet companies to have succeeded in imposing a social network in China despite censorship and strict local regulations.
Microsoft offered a specific version of its professional network in the country by complying, through a local joint venture, with these draconian rules.
In 2021, the business contacts champion made its “LinkedIn” app inaccessible in mainland China, citing a “challenging operating environment” and “increased regulatory compliance requirements.”
He had replaced it with a local and simplified version, called InCareer, which allowed local professionals to continue to find and apply for jobs as well as to stay connected with their network.
“After careful consideration, we have made the decision to end InCareer effective August 9, 2023,” the social network said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Despite our initial progress, InCareer faced fierce competition and a difficult macroeconomic climate, which ultimately led us to make the decision to discontinue service” in China, LinkedIn said.
The American network has experienced rapid growth in the country, favored by a culture of the network (“guanxi”), where the address book, relationships and the professional network hold a primordial place.
However, LinkedIn has been increasingly marginalized in recent years amidst a multitude of particularly innovative local applications.
Most American internet multinationals (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.) have been blocked in China for a long time, failing to comply with strict local legislation and not always clear outlines.
Tech giants are being pressured to block all unwanted content and topics considered politically sensitive online in the name of social stability.
LinkedIn had come under fire in recent years for removing dissident accounts and erasing politically sensitive content from its pages.