The Grammys take on a political tone as artists speak out against ICE
Several performers, including Super Bowl headliner Bad Bunny, shared emotional statements about immigration and current political tensions at the Grammys.
In the latest grassroots uprising against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy, consumer boycotts are urging consumers to resist top technology companies.
Resist and Unsubscribe, founded by New York University marketing professor Scott Galloway, is asking consumers to boycott 10 companies in February: Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook owner Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Netflix, Paramount+, Uber, and X.
“The Trump administration doesn’t react in anger,” Galloway, a frequent critic of Big Tech, said in a video promoting the boycott. “It responds to economic signals.”
He called on consumers to unsubscribe from services provided by these companies, such as Amazon Prime and YouTube, delete their accounts on platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp, and refrain from purchasing Apple products in February, “carrying out an economic strike that tech CEOs cannot ignore.”
Did the shootings bring about a resurgence in tech activity?
A heavy-handed immigration crackdown and two mass shootings have also sparked resistance within tech companies, as workers revolt against powerful industry leaders who favor the government.
Hundreds of tech workers have signed a public petition calling on employers from Amazon to Google to pressure President Donald Trump over the shooting deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Preti by federal agents in Minneapolis. While some have publicly criticized the killing, most leaders of top technology companies have remained silent.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, who came under fire for attending a White House screening of a documentary about first lady Melania Trump the night Preti died, told employees in late January that he had discussed the matter with the president.
“I had a great conversation with the president this week and shared my thoughts, and I appreciate his candor in addressing issues that are important to all of us,” Cook wrote in an internal memo to employees.
Consumer boycott challenge
If Galloway wants to get serious about national sales, even for just a month, he has the job for him. Research consistently shows that consumer-led boycotts are difficult to sustain and shopping habits difficult to change.
Most boycotts don’t have a big impact, but some do break through.
A pressure campaign accusing Cracker Barrel of succumbing to “wokeness” and distancing itself from its roots and conservative values has forced the company to scrap plans to sport its classic vintage logo of a man wearing overalls leaning on a barrel. Walmart, Ford, Harley-Davidson, and Tractor Supply have also rolled back diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in response to consumer pressure.
Targets were shut out from both ends of the political spectrum. In 2024, the Minneapolis-based retail giant will scale back its Pride collection and remove it from all stores. Last year, a nationwide boycott over the company’s withdrawal from DEI hurt sales.
An investigation into the Tesla boycott also suggested that billionaire and former Trump DOGE Secretary Elon Musk’s “polarizing and partisan” political activities alienated the electric car maker’s customer base, costing it more than $1 million in U.S. car sales from October 2022 to April 2025.
Galloway declined to provide data on how many people announced they would join the boycott in February.
“It’s up to us.”
One of those planning to participate is Gabe da Silveira, a senior engineering manager at Airbnb in the San Francisco Bay Area, who was visiting family in Minneapolis when Preti was killed.
Cook overcame his reluctance to bring politics into the workplace after witnessing a candlelight vigil in subzero temperatures while attending a private screening of “Melania” by Cook and other tech CEOs.
“What’s happening right now with ICE operations in Minneapolis is not a partisan issue. It’s not an immigration issue,” he said in a LinkedIn post. “What we are seeing is a blatantly unconstitutional invasion aimed at suppressing dissent through fear and intimidation.”
Da Silveira added, “These tech leaders have not shown the courage to do what needs to be done, so it’s up to tech workers and Americans from all walks of life to step up for the American values that truly make us great.”
