Yahoo pulls out of China, citing ''challenging'' environment

Its withdrawal from the country is largely symbolic as at least some of Yahoo's services, including its web portal, have already been blocked.

Yahoo Inc. said on Tuesday it has pulled out of China, citing an “increasingly challenging business and legal environment.” Chinese authorities maintain a firm grip on internet censorship in the country and require companies operating in China to censor content and keywords deemed politically sensitive or inappropriate.

“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,” the company said in a statement.

It said it “remains committed to the rights of our users and a free and open internet.” The company's withdrawal coincided with the implementation of China's Personal Information Protection Law, which limits what information companies can gather and sets standards for how it must be stored.