In China, Silicon Valley giants confront new walls

Over the years, internet companies like Twitter, Google and Snapchat have been blocked by censors

Facebook is the world’s largest social network, with more than two billion users. LinkedIn was sold to Microsoft for $26 billion last year. And Apple is Apple, the most valuable company in the world.

In most local markets, it would be a surprise if any one of these companies were floundering. But in China, the real shock is that their troubles no longer surprise anyone.

Just in the past few weeks, Facebook had one of its most popular apps blocked by the Chinese government. LinkedIn, the globe-spanning social network of résumés, job recommendations and management essays, had its local boss step down