The NBA is afraid of offending China — and so are online platforms
Late last week, Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted his support for protesters in Hong Kong: “Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.” By this morning, however, he’d deleted the tweet and posted an apology — as Chinese companies pulled sponsorship over the message and Morey’s employers reportedly considered firing him.
This weekend’s controversy wasn’t unique — journalist Max Read listed companies that had apologized over slights like omitting Taiwan from a map of China on a t-shirt. But it was a microcosm of how companies struggle to deal with China’s influence. And while this case involved one man posting a personal opinion online, it’s particularly pertinent for companies that let millions of people post opinions and...