Microsoft Suspends LinkedIn New Sign-ups In China



Microsoft has suspended LinkedIn new sign-ups in China but said the decision has nothing to do with a recent cyberattack on parent company Microsoft.

Microsoft had last week revealed that a group called Hafnium hacked its computers through its Exchange email service. The company said the group was "assessed to be state-sponsored and operating out of China."

A LinkedIn spokesperson said its decision was unrelated to the hack. The social media platform, which is used by professionals, was suspending new member sign-ups for LinkedIn China "as we work to ensure we remain in compliance with local law," it said in a statement.

"We're a global platform with an obligation to respect the laws that apply to us, including adhering to Chinese government regulations for our localized version of LinkedIn in China," LinkedIn added. The company declined to elaborate on which local law it was examining.

A US official recently told CNN that as many as 250,000 Microsoft customers were hit by the Exchange attack, and the White House has deemed it an "active threat" Beijing has pushed back on the allegations that it is involved, warning last week that linking such attacks "directly to the government" is a "highly sensitive political issue" that shouldn't be based on "unprovoked guesses."

Fallout from the hack — and the apparently unrelated LinkedIn suspension — have been hotly discussed in Chinese state media in recent days. The Global Times a hawkish state-owned tabloid, cited "Chinese experts" in a report earlier this week saying that the Biden administration threatens to "poison relations between the two countries" after reports indicated that the US government wanted to form a task forceto deal with the hack.

The Global Times also criticized Western media on Wednesday for attempting to characterize the LinkedIn decision as "punishment" for Microsoft. Citing "industry observers," the publication called such links an "act to politicize internet security issues."

"Every foreign company operating in China must abide by Chinese laws and respect the feelings of Chinese people," the article read.

(CNN)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Google removes Adamu Garba’s Crowwe app from Play store

Image
Google has removed Crowwe, a social media app owned by a former presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba, making it much harder for Android users to download and access the app. Mr Garba, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress had said he created the Crowwe app as a home-grown alternative to foreign giants like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. And he has recently been vocal about his homegrown alternative amid the ongoing suspension of Twitter operations in the call. “Join Crowwe now! Build your country, Build your people and Build your Brand. Join Crowwe now., Garba tweeted moments after the ban was announced. “This is the best opportunity to grow Nigeria to Build Nigeria, Crowwe to the World.” However, latest checks by NewsWireNGR revealed that the app has been removed from the most trusted app store for android. There was no statement from the tech giants on why the app was removed from the android app store but NewsWireNGR learnt it is connected to the poor ratings ...
Read more

G7 Countries pledge to end fuel and diesel consumption by 2030

Image
The group of G7 countries have agreed on a plan to end reliance on fuel and diesel-powered cars by 2030. As part of a comprehensive Green Belt and Road Initiative aimed at providing developing countries with billions of dollars in aids and investments required to curb carbon emissions, the G7 countries also see this initiative as an alternative to China’s belt and road initiative which China has promoted in Africa and developing countries. According to a report published by the British Government, the G7 nations want to consent to a “nature Compact” that will “halt and reverse: biodiversity loss by 2030. The plan includes conserving or protecting 30% of more of land and ocean respectively globally by the end of 2030. “The G7 will endorse a Nature Compact at this afternoon’s meeting to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 – including supporting the global target to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of land and 30 percent of ocean globally by the end of the decade...
Read more