Communication Shutdown is a global

fundraiser Fundraising or fund-raising is the process of seeking and gathering voluntary financial contributions by engaging individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies. Although fundraising typically refers to efforts to gathe ...

on behalf of

autism Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by differences or difficulties in social communication and interaction, a preference for predictability and routine, sensory processing d ...

-related organizations in more than 40 countries. Beginning in 2010, the day is commemorated by individuals voluntarily refraining from using social media such as

Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...

Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...

for one day on 1 November. The concept of the event is based on the idea that

social communication Communication is commonly defined as the transmission of information. Its precise definition is disputed and there are disagreements about whether unintentional or failed transmissions are included and whether communication not only transmit ...

is difficult for autistic people. Going without

social network A social network is a social structure consisting of a set of social actors (such as individuals or organizations), networks of Dyad (sociology), dyadic ties, and other Social relation, social interactions between actors. The social network per ...

s for one day is therefore a

perspective-taking Perspective-taking is the act of perceiving a situation or understanding a concept from an alternative point of view, such as that of another individual. A vast amount of scientific literature suggests that perspective-taking is crucial to human ...

exercise for people not on the spectrum.

Aim and participation

The aim of the event is to raise awareness about

and also drive donations for autism services via the purchase of a social network app. The Communication Shutdown charity app provides a shutdown badge to wear online, adds participants to a global mosaic next to high-profile supporters, as well as other ways to show support. High-profile supporters in 2010 included

Buzz Aldrin Buzz Aldrin ( ; born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr.; January 20, 1930) is an American former astronaut, engineer and fighter pilot. He made three extravehicular activity, spacewalks as pilot of the 1966 Gemini 12 mission, and was the Lunar Module Eag ...

Fran Drescher Francine Joy Drescher (born September 30, 1957) is an American actress and trade unionist. She is currently serving as the national president of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). She pla ...

Miranda Kerr Miranda May Kerr (; born 20 April 1983) is an Australian model. She rose to prominence in 2007 as one of the Victoria's Secret Angels. Kerr was the first Australian Victoria's Secret model and also represented the Australian department store c ...

, Holly Robinson-Peete,

Steven Seagal Steven Frederic Seagal ( ; born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, producer, screenwriter, martial artist, and musician. A 7th-Dan (rank), dan Black belt (martial arts), black belt in aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instru ...

Deepak Chopra Deepak Chopra (; ; born October 22, 1946) is an Indian-American author, New Age, new age guru, and alternative medicine advocate. A prominent figure in the New Age movement, his books and videos have made him one of the best-known and wealthi ...

and

Temple Grandin Mary Temple Grandin (born August 29, 1947) is an American academic, inventor, and ethologist. She is a prominent proponent of the humane treatment of livestock for slaughter and the author of more than 60 scientific papers on animal behavior. ...

. Global autism partners include members of Autism Europe, Autism Initiatives UK, Autism Awareness Australia, The ASHA Foundation India and

grassroots A grassroots movement is one that uses the people in a given district, region or community as the basis for a political or continent movement. Grassroots movements and organizations use collective action from volunteers at the local level to imp ...

organisations in America including the HollyRod Foundation, Giant Steps and the Autism Society of Colorado.

Counter-movement

A movement initiated by Corina Lynn Becker prior to the first Communication Shutdown event advocates for renaming the day as Autistics Speaking Day. The focus is shifted to autistic individuals, who are encouraged to become ''more'' active on social media and to describe their experiences during a time when there are fewer

neurotypical The neurodiversity paradigm is a framework for understanding human brain function that considers the diversity within sensory processing, motor abilities, social comfort, cognition, and focus as neurobiological differences. This diversity fal ...

voices in the mix. Notable participants include

Lydia Brown Lydia X. Z. Brown (born 1993) is an American autistic disability rights activist, writer, attorney, and public speaker who was honored by the White House in 2013. They are the chairperson of the American Bar Association Civil Rights & Social ...

and

Ari Ne'eman Ari Daniel Ne'eman (; born December 10, 1987) is an American disability rights activist and researcher who co-founded the Autistic Self Advocacy Network in 2006. On December 16, 2009, President Barack Obama announced that Ne'eman would be appoin ...

References

External links

Video: What is Communication Shutdown?

Autistics Speaking Day official Blogspot site
{{Autism resources Charity fundraisers Autism activism Autism-related organizations