Anti-Corporate Greed Group Calls for Mass Economic Boycott During 2025 Thanksgiving Week

A growing movement against corporate greed is gaining traction online as a group called Blackout the System has announced plans for a nationwide economic boycott during one of America’s busiest shopping periods. The boycott, scheduled from November 25 to December 2, 2025, would span Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday—traditionally the most lucrative days for retailers across the country.

The initiative, which organizers are calling a “mass economic blackout,” encourages Americans to refrain from both working and making purchases during the week-long period. The timing appears strategic, targeting the post-Thanksgiving shopping rush that has historically represented the beginning of the profitable holiday shopping season for retailers.

Social media posts about the planned boycott began circulating in late October, quickly gaining visibility when actress Rosie O’Donnell, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, shared an announcement on her Instagram account on October 22. The post called for participants to stop working and spending during the designated dates.

The boycott has also found support from politically-oriented social media groups. The Facebook page “Democrats, Republicans and Independents for Democracy” shared information about the planned action, while similar posts have appeared across Facebook and Reddit communities.

According to Blackout the System’s website, the organization stands in opposition to corporate greed and the Trump administration, among other positions. The November boycott is described as “the second wave” of their economic action campaign. The group previously organized a five-day boycott from September 16-20, 2025, announcing plans for the Thanksgiving week boycott just days after the conclusion of their first action.

Economic boycotts like this one have a long history in American protest movements, though their effectiveness varies widely depending on participation rates and media attention. The targeting of Black Friday—which got its name from being the day many retailers traditionally move from operating at a loss (“in the red”) to earning a profit (“in the black”)—could potentially impact quarterly earnings for major retailers if participation becomes widespread.

The boycott comes at a time of heightened concerns about economic inequality in the United States. Consumer spending has increasingly concentrated during promotional shopping periods like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with retailers heavily dependent on strong holiday season sales. According to retail industry data, the five-day period from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday typically accounts for a significant portion of annual retail revenue.

Blackout the System appears to have formed a partnership with another organization called The Take It Back Movement to promote the boycott. Both groups have created online forms for interested participants to join the initiative, though specific details about the organizations’ leadership, membership numbers, and strategic objectives remain limited.

When reached for comment about the scope of the planned boycott and organizational structure, representatives from both groups had not yet responded. Questions remain about how many Americans might participate in the action and what specific measurable outcomes the organizers hope to achieve.

The emergence of this boycott reflects growing discontent among some Americans regarding corporate influence and economic policies. Similar consumer activism has increased in recent years, with various groups attempting to leverage collective purchasing power as a form of political and economic protest.

As November 2025 approaches, retailers and economic analysts will likely monitor social media activity around the boycott to gauge potential impact on what is traditionally the most critical shopping period of the year for the retail sector.