5 ms·

LinkedIn to End Service in China

11 points by jbegley 5y ago

ilamont 5y ago
But to do business in China, LinkedIn censored the posts made by its millions of Chinese users in accordance with Chinese laws, something that other American companies were often reluctant or unable to do. Not just Chinese users in China. Chinese and non-Chinese users outside of China, including journalists (https://www.axios.com/linkedin-unanswered-questions-china-censorship-56b75495-230c-4dc2-9a29-6a35e2f8cec0.html https://www.axios.com/linkedin-unanswered-questions-china-ce...) and others. LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft, which has its own questionable record when it comes to scrubbing content all over the world to appease the CCP. Remember tank man images missing from Bing, caused by "accidental human error"? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27395635 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27395635 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57367100 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57367100
- mytailorisrich 5y ago
  > Chinese and non-Chinese users outside of China, including journalists My understanding is that they blocked profiles and content from being viewed in China.
  - ilamont 5y ago
    WSJ reporter has more details ... being replaced with a job board. https://twitter.com/lizalinwsj/status/1448685055174340609 https://twitter.com/lizalinwsj/status/1448685055174340609 Same thread may explain "tank man" issue: "Then in May, Microsoft was the only foreign firm among 105 apps called out by China's internet regulator for "improper data collection," with both LinkedIn and Bing named on the list. Linkedin wasn't able to escape China's increased scrutiny on its internet players."
cromwellian 5y ago
I mean, China just banned ALL non-state-run news in China. https://twitter.com/AngelicaOung/status/1446696323370000384?s=20 https://twitter.com/AngelicaOung/status/1446696323370000384?... They also banned all non-state-run media from platforming any foreign media. If you look at all of the restrictions imposed over the past few weeks, sometimes at the 11th hour, capriciously, on gaming, on english tutoring, etc I would not be hanging my company's future or profits on Mainland China. You're either going to be forced to do things you don't want to do to appease them, and be subject to capricious punishment (e.g. banning Eternals because Chloe Zhao once said something milky milquetoast and indirectly critical of the CCP years ago, and by she happens to direct the film), or you're going to find the government working against you anyway as far as trying intervening to assist domestic competition. Decoupling is really just common sense at this point until the current trend Xi's taking the country in hits its zenith and the pendulum swings the other way towards a more Deng-like faction. But right now, things seem headed towards an ominous course.

11 points by jbegley 5y ago

But to do business in China, LinkedIn censored the posts made by its millions of Chinese users in accordance with Chinese laws, something that other American companies were often reluctant or unable to do. Not just Chinese users in China. Chinese and non-Chinese users outside of China, including journalists (https://www.axios.com/linkedin-unanswered-questions-china-censorship-56b75495-230c-4dc2-9a29-6a35e2f8cec0.html https://www.axios.com/linkedin-unanswered-questions-china-ce...) and others. LinkedIn is owned by Microsoft, which has its own questionable record when it comes to scrubbing content all over the world to appease the CCP. Remember tank man images missing from Bing, caused by "accidental human error"? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27395635 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27395635 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57367100 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57367100

mytailorisrich 5y ago
> Chinese and non-Chinese users outside of China, including journalists My understanding is that they blocked profiles and content from being viewed in China.
- ilamont 5y ago
  WSJ reporter has more details ... being replaced with a job board. https://twitter.com/lizalinwsj/status/1448685055174340609 https://twitter.com/lizalinwsj/status/1448685055174340609 Same thread may explain "tank man" issue: "Then in May, Microsoft was the only foreign firm among 105 apps called out by China's internet regulator for "improper data collection," with both LinkedIn and Bing named on the list. Linkedin wasn't able to escape China's increased scrutiny on its internet players."

cromwellian 5y ago

I mean, China just banned ALL non-state-run news in China. https://twitter.com/AngelicaOung/status/1446696323370000384?s=20 https://twitter.com/AngelicaOung/status/1446696323370000384?... They also banned all non-state-run media from platforming any foreign media. If you look at all of the restrictions imposed over the past few weeks, sometimes at the 11th hour, capriciously, on gaming, on english tutoring, etc I would not be hanging my company's future or profits on Mainland China. You're either going to be forced to do things you don't want to do to appease them, and be subject to capricious punishment (e.g. banning Eternals because Chloe Zhao once said something milky milquetoast and indirectly critical of the CCP years ago, and by she happens to direct the film), or you're going to find the government working against you anyway as far as trying intervening to assist domestic competition. Decoupling is really just common sense at this point until the current trend Xi's taking the country in hits its zenith and the pendulum swings the other way towards a more Deng-like faction. But right now, things seem headed towards an ominous course.