Latest news with #EconomicBlackout
New York Post
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Bogus social media accounts fueled backlash over Target rollback of DEI: ‘Masterclass in manufactured outrage'
A coordinated campaign used bogus social media accounts to amplify backlash against Target after the company scaled back its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, according to a blockbuster report. An analysis by Israeli tech firm Cyabra found that nearly a third of the social media accounts driving outrage over the retail giant's policy change were fake. The Minneapolis-based retailert announced it would roll back its controversial initiatives — which had drawn scorn from conservatives for touting items such as tuck-friendly bathing suits — after President Trump returned to the White House on Jan. 20. Cyabra reviewed thousands of posts on Elon Musk-owned X, formerly Twitter, from Jan. 1 to April 21 and discovered that 27% of the accounts were inauthentic — many of which played a major role in pushing boycott narratives. 4 A coordinated disinformation campaign helped amplify backlash against Target, according to a report. REUTERS Cyabra's data showed that inauthentic posts jumped 764% after Target's announcement, flooding the platform with calls for consumer boycotts and viral hashtags like #EconomicBlackout. The firm's CEO, Dan Brahmy, described the backlash as a calculated effort to manufacture outrage. 'What happened with Target is a masterclass in manufactured outrage,' Brahmy told The Post on Thursday. 'Fake accounts hijacked the narrative, weaponized identity and pushed a boycott that looked grassroots but was anything but. This is how influence operations work now — they blur the line between real and fake until no one can tell the difference.' Many of the fake accounts were designed to mimic real users and took on the identities of black consumers or conservative commentators, according to Cyabra's findings, which were obtained by The Post. Some profiles pushed slogans such as 'Target Fast' and '40-day boycott,' while others accused the retailer of 'bending the knee' to Trump. 4 Cyabra's data showed that inauthentic posts jumped 764% after Target's announcement that it was scaling back its DEI. Cyabra One purported X user with the handle NenelsBack posted on Jan. 27: 'Target can't get my money. It's like being betrayed by a family member. We gave Target so much respect. BLK folk named Target, Targe't.' Another with the handle Nickolas Medina fanned the flames on the boycott push by posting on April 18: 'I stopped going to Target because of their support for the trans agenda. I think that is a greater motivation for people to boycott Target Target than DEI.' Both were found to be posted by fake accounts, according to the report, first cited by USA Today. 'We don't just look at what's being said, we analyze how it's being said, and whether they are even real,' Cyabra spokesperson Jill Burkes told The Post. 'We flag accounts that post in lockstep, recycle the same hashtags and slogans, or only interact within closed loops of other suspicious accounts.' Cyabra, which uses artificial intelligence to detect coordinated manipulation campaigns, did not find clear evidence linking the campaign to a specific foreign or domestic actor. 4 An Israeli analytics firm did a study which found a large number of posts from fake social media accounts fueled talk of a boycott. Cyabra However, the tactic of inflaming culture war debates through synthetic engagement has become increasingly common, particularly in polarized consumer environments. In a follow-up analysis of conversations on X from May 27 to June 3, Cyabra found the campaign had not only persisted but intensified. On some days, fake accounts made up 39% of the conversation –outnumbering genuine users. Cyabra has seen similar tactics used against other major brands, from fast food chains to tech companies. 4 Cyabra reviewed thousands of posts on X, formerly Twitter, from Jan. 1 to April 21 and discovered that 27% of the accounts were inauthentic. Cyabra 'The playbook is similar: hijack a polarizing moment, flood the zone with fake voices and let real users do the rest,' Burkes said. 'That's exactly what happened with Target. And it works — the stock dropped $12 billion and real people joined the boycott thinking they were part of a massive groundswell. Many still are.' The Post has sought comment from Target. Last month, Target lowered its full-year sales forecast. CEO Brian Cornell blamed several headwinds, including 'the reaction to the updates we shared on [DEI] in January.' Minneapolis activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, who launched a grassroots boycott of Target on Feb. 1, told USA Today she had no knowledge of the disinformation campaign identified by Cyabra. 'I'm not on X and I know our people in Minneapolis have no involvement in this situation,' Armstrong said.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
The Daily Money: Were Target DEI protests fake?
The Daily Money: Were Target DEI protests fake? Good morning! It's Daniel de Visé with your Daily Money. An orchestrated campaign to stoke tensions over Target's rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives deployed fake accounts to flood social media with manufactured outrage, a new report claims. Accounts impersonating Black users actively promoted calls to boycott Target, using trending hashtags such as #EconomicBlackout. Some posts accused Target of 'bending the knee' to President Donald Trump, while others pushed specific campaigns such as 'Target Fast' or '40-day boycott' to persuade people to stop shopping at Target. Trump escalates campaign against Harvard President Trump has revoked Harvard University's permission to host incoming international students, the latest escalation in an ongoing battle between the White House and the country's oldest university. In an executive order issued June 4, Trump declared that Harvard's admission of international students represents a threat to the United States. Harvard enrolls roughly 6,800 out of 1.2 million international students in the United States. What will happen to the others? Your boss might bully you and feel good about it Horrible bosses − the ones who lose their temper, shout at subordinates and berate their work − are bad for everyone. On that point, the research is clear. And yet, some bosses continue to act out, perpetuating a legacy of managerial tongue-lashings that stretches from Steve Jobs to Gordon Ramsay to Donald Trump. A team of researchers decided to find out why. 📰 More stories you shouldn't miss 📰 About The Daily Money Each weekday, The Daily Money delivers the best consumer and financial news from USA TODAY, breaking down complex events, providing the TLDR version, and explaining how everything from Fed rate changes to bankruptcies impacts you. Daniel de Visé covers personal finance for USA Today.
The Herald Scotland
6 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
A Target DEI boycott blew up online. Then came questions.
The accounts impersonating Black users actively promoted calls to boycott Target, using trending hashtags such as #EconomicBlackout. Some posts accused Target of "bending the knee" to President Donald Trump, others pushed specific campaigns such as "Target Fast" or "40-day boycott" to persuade people to stop shopping at Target. Cyabra analysts, who use artificial intelligence to identify fake accounts, also uncovered profiles posing as "conservative" voices who mocked the Target boycott. These accounts claimed they already boycott Target over its "woke" policies. While Cyabra said it did not find clear evidence that this was also a rigged campaign to dupe Target shoppers, exploiting political and cultural divisions is a common tactic by influence operations. Similar tactics have been used against other major brands including Nike, Costco and Starbucks, Cyabra spokeswoman Jill Burkes said. "We've seen this kind of behavior in disinformation campaigns tied to elections, brands and social movements around the world," Burkes said. "When fake profiles move in sync, mimic real users and amplify both sides of a divisive issue, it's a clear sign of manipulation. That's what we saw here." Cyabra said it examined the online discussions around the Target boycott after its system flagged multiple tell-tale signs of inauthentic behavior such as spikes in engagement, rapid viral backlash, synchronized messaging, high-volume posting and an unusually high number of fake accounts. Trump says he killed DEI: So why isn't it dead yet? Cracks emerge in war on 'woke' Target did not respond to a request for comment. The backlash against DEI gained momentum during the 2024 presidential campaign but hit a fever pitch when Trump took office and issued a series of executive orders aimed at eliminating "illegal DEI" in the federal government and the private sector. Target was one of the corporations to make concessions in the rapidly changing political climate. In recent months, its customers have pulled back on discretionary purchases amid growing anxiety over the economy and inflation. The company also cited its decision to scrap some diversity policies as a contributor to the sharp pullback in consumer spending in the first quarter as church pastors and other community activists launched protests, spreading word of planned boycotts on social media. Target said the boycotts dented its first-quarter performance but could not estimate by how much. The Cyabra report raises the question if the coordinated campaign of fake accounts had real-world impact on Target. A follow-up analysis of X conversations from May 27 to June 3 found that the coordinated campaign against Target continued to resonate long after the boycotts began, according to Cyabra. Fake social media profiles made up 39% of the accounts, on some days outnumbering authentic profiles. Many of these accounts continued to call on shoppers to boycott Target and promoted the #EconomicBlackout's new campaign that began this week. Nekima Levy Armstrong, a Minneapolis activist who started a Target boycott on Feb. 1, said she could not comment on the Cyabra report. "I'm not on X and I know our people in Minneapolis have no involvement in this situation," she said. Contributing: Betty Lin-Fisher
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Good Friday shopping boycott: Protest over stores dropping DEI policies runs through Easter
Starting on Good Friday, April 18, consumers across the United States plan to stop consuming through Easter Sunday, April 20. At least at big box stores. The planned boycott, dubbed "Economic Blackout 2.0," follows a recent weeklong boycott of Walmart, "40-day fast" of Target, boycotts of Amazon and Nestlé, and the first Economic Blackout, a 23-hour spending freeze. The nationwide efforts are in protest of the retail giants' decisions to roll back their DEI — diversity, equity and inclusion — policies under pressure from a conservative activist. The changes came before President Donald Trump returned to office and began systematically eliminating federal DEI programs. While Atlanta Pastor Jamal Bryant and other Black faith leaders called for the Target boycott, which ends when the Christian observance of Lent does on April 17, others, such as Economic Blackout 2.0, have been promoted by The People's Union USA. "This blackout is about taking our power back," the organization said on its website. "It's about reminding every corrupt entity that we don't need them, they need us." Similarweb, a digital marketing intelligence company, analyzed data from the date of the first Economic Blackout in February and found that overall traffic at the top 100 e-commerce sites was down 6% year over year. Another retail consultant, Momentum Commerce, said that Amazon sales for the day were up 1% over the previous eight Fridays. Economic Blackout 2.0 runs from 12:01 a.m. April 18 through April 20. "On blackout days, avoid shopping, streaming, online orders, fast food, and everything in between," the site said. It's recommended. "Only support independent small businesses if you truly need something. Otherwise, lock it down," the site said. The People's Union USA has more consumer boycotts planned through July. Here's the schedule: General Mills: April 21-28 Amazon: May 6-12 Target: June 3-9 McDonald's: June 24-30 Independence Day boycott: July 4 Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is a term used to describe programs and policies that encourage fairer representation and participation for groups that have been historically and systematically marginalized, such as Black people, women, LGBTQ+ community members, disabled people and ethnic minorities in the United States. DEI programs in business are intended to make sure that everyone — especially groups that have historically been underrepresented or discriminated against — receives fair treatment and that differences are embraced to improve relations and teamwork and increase cultural sensitivity. In education, DEI typically refers to strategies, policies and practices that provide all students equal access to educational opportunities, regardless of their background, identity or abilities. DEI programs exploded in popularity during the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements, especially after the murder of George Floyd and several other Black Americans led to worldwide protests against racism. Critics claim DEI programs prioritize underrepresented people in categories including race, ethnicity and gender to the exclusion of more qualified candidates and treat them as anti-white, anti-male, ideologically driven policies that serve as racial discrimination against white Americans, with some even saying they contribute to antisemitism. Supporters say anti-DEI advocates see only white men as capable and intelligent and assume all women and people of color, no matter how qualified, are only in a position of power due to quotas. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: DEI shopping boycott on Good Friday. What stores targets of protests
Associated Press
17-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Economic Blackout: 12% of U.S. Consumers Plan to Participate on April 18-20, Numerator Reports
CHICAGO, April 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Numerator, a data and tech company serving the market research space, has released consumer sentiment and purchase data findings around 'Economic Blackout' events, a series of consumer spending boycotts organized by The People's Union USA activist group. With the next Economic Blackout scheduled for April 18–20, 2025, Numerator surveyed 2,000+ consumers on April 15 to understand participation intentions and analyzed verified purchase behavior for the previous Economic Blackout on February 28th to understand consumer response. April 18–20 Economic Blackout – Consumer Survey Findings: February 28 Economic Blackout – Verified Purchase Data Findings: Numerator's February 28 Economic Blackout Survey was fielded on 2/27/2025 to 1,389 U.S. consumers. Numerator's April 18–20 Economic Blackout Survey was fielded on 4/15/2025 to 2,007 U.S. consumers. Results of the February 28 Economic Blackout are based on verified purchase data from over 200,000 U.S. households and benchmarks 2/28/25 shopping behaviors to the average Friday in the past year. About Numerator: Numerator is a data and tech company bringing speed and scale to market research. Numerator blends first-party data from over 1 million US households with advanced technology to provide 360-degree consumer understanding for the market research industry that has been slow to change. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, Numerator has 5,800 employees worldwide; 80 of the top 100 CPG brands' manufacturers are Numerator clients. Bob Richter Numerator 212-802-8588 [email protected]
