After Microsoft's professional networking platform LinkedIn's withdrawal last month, Yahoo on November 1 announced that it will be moving its services out of China for good. According to the Wall Street Journal, the company has cited 'the increasingly challenging business and legal environment in China' as being the reason for its exit. While Yahoo is not very popular in the country, access to its websites like Aol.com, TechCrunch, EndGadget, and its apps like Yahoo Weather, Mail, and Finance will be hindered, WSJ reported. Both foreign and domestic technology firms have been facing increasing scrutiny by the Chinese government through lawsuits, penal actions, content takedown requests, etc. The scrutiny only increases with China's new Personal Information Protection Law which incidentally came into effect on November 1. Previous troubles faced by Yahoo in China In early October, Yahoo's Finance and News apps were removed from Apple's China app store according to activist website Applecensorship.com. In 2020, Yahoo was reportedly sued by a Chinese activist for allegedly handing over the contents of his email account to the Chinese Communist Party that led to his arrest, torture, and imprisonment. In 2017, Yahoo was reportedly sued by Chinese dissidents for failing to protect them. In 2007, the company had reportedly admitted and apologised for providing information about a dissident to Chinese authorities which led to his arrest. In 2013, Yahoo China had reportedly shut down a lot of its services including Yahoo mail, music, news, and community services. The company also closed its Beijing office in…
