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The “Mass Blackout” is a coordinated effort to halt consumer activity during one of the most profitable weeks of the year. Running from Tuesday, Nov. 25 through Tuesday, Dec. 2, the action is backed by organizations including 50501 ROC, Indivisible Rockland, and 50501 Long Island. The movement itself was launched by Blackout the System, The People’s Sick Day, American Opposition, the Money Out of Politics Movement, and The Progressive Network. Together, they’re hoping to send a sweeping economic message during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the peak of holiday spending, as per a report by Lohud The Journal News and NJ.com.
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What are organizers asking people to do?
According to the movement, the blackout calls for Americans to stop online and in-store shopping entirely—unless it’s to support small, local businesses. Participants are asked to avoid working, skip streaming platforms, cancel subscriptions, and refrain from digital purchases. Travel, dining out, and typical consumer habits are also discouraged during the blackout period.
People are also asked to stay off ad-driven platforms, using them only for organizing if necessary. Small Business Saturday is exempted, and if someone must spend money during the week, organizers urge them to shop locally and pay in cash. For those who cannot skip work, they recommend donating to Feeding America, as per a report by Lohud The Journal News and NJ.com.Their message is pointed, “We’re not targeting small businesses or communities − we’re targeting the corporate systems that profit from injustice, fuel authoritarianism, and crush worker power.”
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Why are groups pushing for an economic blackout?
Organizers describe the movement as a battle of “people vs. power.” Their website states that the blackout is a direct response to corporate influence and what they see as harmful political decisions.
“This is a coordinated economic shutdown − a collective refusal to participate in a system that profits off our pain, exploits our labor, and buys our politicians, as per a website related to the movement.
They criticize the Trump administration’s pause on federal anti-corruption enforcement, as well as major companies that they say fund “authoritarian candidates” while “(walk) back public commitments to civil rights, labor protections, diversity and democracy.”
The coalition argues that billionaires continue to profit off the public while consumers absorb the consequences. For them, withholding economic participation is a way to reclaim leverage. As the groups explain, “The Mass Blackout isn’t just about not spending. It’s about rerouting our time, money, and energy back into our communities.”
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Are other boycott movements joining the effort?
This week’s blackout isn’t the only holiday-season protest taking shape. Several other national boycotts are planned with similar goals.
The People’s Union USA is organizing its own Black Friday and Cyber Monday boycott from Nov. 28 to Dec. 5. Calling it a “full week of economic resistance,” the group urges shoppers to reject major retailers and instead support local businesses. The organization’s founder, John Schwarz, encouraged supporters to “remind them that we are the economy,” as per a report by Lohud The Journal News and NJ.com.
Another movement, “We Ain’t Buying It,” backed by Black Voters Matter, Indivisible, and Until Freedom, is calling on consumers to avoid major retailers like Amazon, Target, and Home Depot. Organizers accuse these companies of caving to President Donald Trump and backing away from pledges tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Instead, they want shoppers to redirect purchases toward businesses that have publicly stood up to Trump and toward Black, minority, and immigrant-owned shops.
Do shopping boycotts actually work?
Organizers behind the Mass Blackout argue that a major disruption could have tangible economic consequences. They estimate that if five million Americans stopped working for just 48 hours, billions could be lost in economic output, causing delays in supply chains, production, and shipments, as per a report by Lohud The Journal News and NJ.com.
But experts say outcomes vary. Boycotts that last only a few days often don’t hit corporations as hard because shoppers tend to simply buy before or after the blackout period. Northwestern University professor Brayden King previously told USA TODAY that longer boycotts face the challenge of convincing enough consumers to maintain changed behavior long enough to make a financial impact.
Still, for organizers, the blackout’s purpose goes beyond numbers. It’s about forcing a national conversation and showing that economic power rests with the common masses out there.
FAQs
What is the “Mass Blackout”?
A weeklong call to stop spending, working, and streaming to pressure corporate power during the holiday shopping season.
When is it happening?
From Nov. 25 to Dec. 2, covering Black Friday and Cyber Monday.