Blackout Monday: virtual boycott targets GameSpot, CNET sites

GameSpot user 'Subrosian' has called for a boycott of all CNET-operated sites today in response to the controversy surrounding the firing of GameSpot executive editor Jeff Gerstmann, GamePolitics.com reports. Dubbed "Black Monday," the virtual boycott is to last 24 hours and instructs participants to avoid viewing, Googling, or clicking external links to the sites, particularly GameSpot. "Rather than live in a world where the media is controlled entirely by those with the most money, I want to live in a world where gamers who are living for their hobby ... can say what they truly feel about a game. So let's do the right thing and show solidarity with Jeff Gerstmann -- if he can't go to work on Monday at GameSpot then neither will we," declares Subrosian's manifesto.

Posted at 9:31pm ET last night, the call to action likely went unnoticed by many potential protesters before the blackout's midnight start time. Further discouraging any chance of effectiveness is the lack of a prominent external page for the boycott (try Googling "black monday gamespot" or other relevant search terms) -- um, the original post is a GameSpot.com link! If anything, Blackout Monday may serve as a seed for birthing a better-organized boycott before the Gerstmann story becomes "old news." Hardcore game forum posters-turned-activists need to appeal to the mainstream technology consumer to really stick it to the CNET network. But for anyone to get behind the issue, organizers must first wait for the swirl of rumors to settle and the truth to be made public. What's less legitimate than a rumor? The boycott of a rumor. (Reminder: the details of Gerstmann's firing are still unconfirmed.)

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Reprint of Subrosian's posting:

Blackout Monday

Attention.

Please do not go on GameSpot, GameFAQs, CNET, Download.com, TV.com, et cetera... do not go on ANY CNET site. Logout and DO NOT GO ON AT ALL from 12am EST on Monday (that's midnight tonight) until 12am EST on Tuesday. Don't come on the site, don't Google the site, don't click on a link to the site - don't do ANYTHING that generates a page view, search engine hit, or *anything*

A lot of Gamespotter's more prominant posters will be taking this action to show solidarity with the staff (and Jeff) who have to fear their jobs being lost if they speak their mind. So for their inability to speak on this issue *we'll show CNET our silence*.

This issue is bigger than you, it's bigger than me - it's bigger than GameSpot. This is about big business being able to use *buy* public opinion. Rather than live in a world where the media is controlled entirely by those with the most money, I want to live in a world where gamers who are living for their hobby (these guys truly work because of their passion for gaming, not the paycheck) can say what they truly feel about a game.

So let's do the right thing and show solidarity with Jeff Gerstmann - if he can't go to work on Monday at GameSpot then neither will we.

[Source: GameSpot user post]