Microblogging in China The website's layout, API, and mode of use was highly similar to Twitter, which was created earlier in 2006. Fanfou's users increased from 0.3 million to 1 million in the first half of 2009. The users included HP China, the "Southern Weekly", artist Ai Weiwei, writer Lian Yue () and TV commentator Liang Wendao (). Some other weibo services, such as Jiwai, Digu, Zuosa and Tencent's Taotao were launched in 2006-2009. After the July 2009 Ürümqi riots, the CPC government shut down most of the domestic weibo services, including Fanfou and Jiwai. Many popular non China-based microblogging services such as
Sina Weibo new "close friend" function enhanced the private social circle; In February 2013, the company reported total revenue of about 66 million us dollars, with more than 500 million registered users and 46.2 million daily active users; In April 2013, Alibaba acquired an 18% stake in Sina Weibo; In August 2013, Sina Weibo Taobao was launched to realize account sharing; In March 2014, sina weibo was renamed "weibo"; In April 2014, weibo was listed on Nasdaq; In November 2016, the 140-character limit for the release of the publisher was limited to less than 2,000 words; In December 2016, Sina Weibo posted