It was apparent that when LinkedIn asked Chinese users for their phone numbers in 2019, the professional social network had to play according to a different set of rules in the country. But it soon realized that just setting up the real-name verification regime required by Chinese authorities was not enough; it faced a mounting task of balancing the demand for censorship and upholding its "Western value" which extols freedom of expression.

The answer was to retreat. This October, Microsoft declared it would end LinkedIn's Chinese version — which still operated largely the same as the "global" one except, for extra requirements like cell number verification. On December 13, Microsoft launched a LinkedIn alternative called InCareer on China's App Store and third-party Android stores. Focusing on jobs, the new app has the shell of LinkedIn but does not have that social feed and content posting option, otherwise would impose content monitoring efforts on Microsoft's team in China. InCareer still retains the messaging option.

In a blog post, LinkedIn explained its move:

We have had success with helping Chinese members find jobs and economic opportunity but we haven't seen the same traction in the more social aspects of sharing and staying informed. We are also operating in a much more challenging and complex environment in China, where we now face greater compliance requirements.

Microsoft is not alone in pulling its service from China. New cyber regulations have surfaced in China in recent years to keep every thing ranging from how much data internet firms collect to data movement rules across borders in check. Yahoo, TechCrunch's parent company, recently exited China citing an "increasingly challenging business and legal environment."

According to the sources, China-based users of the LinkedIn app are now compelled to download InCareer, though they can access the full version of the social network via a web browser and VPN. But these additional fences are going to drive the users away from a platform that already had limited reach in the country.

LinkedIn is most popular among expats and Chinese users working at multinationals or cross-border businesses, while Maimai, its local competitor, holds more prominent positions. According to market research firm iResearch, in April, Maimai accounted for 91% of the time Chinese users spent on professional social networking apps.

Meanwhile, Bing, another surviving service from Microsoft in China, encountered a snag recently. According to user reports and Greatfire.org, the search engine cannot be accessed in China since December 18. However, it seemed that it came back online as of December 20. TechCrunch sent a request to Microsoft for its comments on the matter.

The incident also occurred during Bing's suspension of its search autofill feature in China for 30 days "under PRC laws," according to a notice posted by the search engine provider. It was unclear what laws the site was referring to. 

Bing was briefly down in China in 2019 when its indigenous rival Baidu’s reputation took a hit. At the time, speculation was rife that Baidu users migrating to Bing in droves might have crashed the American site.

It’s not uncommon to see foreign tech companies playing catch-up with Chinese laws after being left alone for years. Years after the relevant regulation took effect, Apple began a crackdown on unlicensed mobile games from its Chinese App Store. In a similar case, the Bing suspension may be the reason the search engine, which had always flown under the radar in China because few people used it, was finally ordered to close the loophole: autofill suggestions that could get on censors' nerves.