Yahoo ends services in China citing challenging business, legal environment

Yahoo announced it is ending its services in China, more than 20 years after it entered the country and on the same day a data protection law takes effect in the world’s second largest economy. 

“In recognition of the increasingly challenging business and legal environment in China, Yahoo’s suite of services will no longer be accessible from mainland China as of November 1,” according to a statement from a Yahoo spokesperson..

“Yahoo remains committed to the rights of our users and a free and open internet. We thank our users for their support,” the spokesperson added.

The Wall Street Journal noted that the announcement was not a surprise for those using Yahoo’s products in the country, as it has been closing parts of its business since 2013. 

Users of Yahoo Weather and its websites in China has also been receiving messages that the services would be shut down on Nov. 1. 

Yahoo’s full withdrawal comes as China implements a law to curb data collection called the Personal Information Protection Law, which will curb data collection by tech companies. 

It is the second major U.S. tech firm to close in China in recent weeks with Microsoft shutting down LinkedIn in October in China.

“We’re also facing a significantly more challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements in China,” LinkedIn said in a statement on Oct. 14. 

“Given this, we’ve made the decision to sunset the current localized version of LinkedIn, which is how people in China access LinkedIn’s global social media platform, later this year,” it added.