Jun 30 2015

My LinkedIn Account Just Blocked in China

LinkedIn just alerted me that my account has been blocked in China. They were very transparent about it and I’ve asked them for more information.

I was trying to think of what had triggered it. I had recently updated my profile and in that update I included an article I had written in Chinese for Beijing Spring – an overseas Chinese publication. Ironically, the subject of the article was Chinese censorship and interference with overseas freedom of expression, specifically in the world of performing arts by trying (unsuccessfully) to stop performances by Shen Yun.

Here’s the Beijing Spring article

And here’s the LinkedIn message:

Hi Leeshai,
Your LinkedIn profile is an integral part of how you present your professional self to the world. That’s why we believe it’s important to inform you that, due to the presence of specific content on your profile, your profile is not currently viewable in China. This includes your public activity on LinkedIn, such as your comments and items you share with your network. Your profile and activity continues to remain viewable throughout the rest of the countries in which LinkedIn is available.
In February 2014, we began offering a localized version of LinkedIn in China. We believe that people everywhere can benefit from Chinese individuals connecting with each other and LinkedIn members in other parts of the world, and that the creation of economic opportunity can have a profound impact on their lives and the lives of their families and communities.
While we strongly support freedom of expression, we recognized when we launched that we would need to adhere to the requirements of the Chinese government in order to operate in China. We also aim to be transparent about our actions and their impact on our members; if you want to learn more about how you can ensure that your profile and activity is viewable within China, please contact Customer Support.
Regards,
LinkedIn Trust & Safety

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