Anti-Google Video Running in Times Square

A new cartoon is running 36 times a day on the jumbotron (540 square foot screen) in Times Square, New York. Toy Story 3? Some government motivational animation? Nope.

It’s an anti-Google video called ‘Don’t be Evil‘ from a nonprofit group ‘Consumer Watchdog‘ as part of their ‘Inside Google‘ campaign. Their aim is to “educate the public and opinion leaders about Google’s dangerous dominance over the Internet, computing and our online lives.”

The video highlights what the Group believes is Google’s malicious disregard for people’s privacy. It depicts Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, luring ‘little Timmy’ and ‘Susie’ to his van with free ice-cream. He then corrupts them with tales of their parents online activity, while conducting full body scans and stealing their secrets.

The Consumer Watchdog group hopes this video will motivate people to lobby their local Government representative to support the creation of a ‘Do Not Track Me’ list “to prevent online companies from gathering our personal information”, just like the “Do Not Call” list used to prevent intrusive telemarketing calls.

Ironic that an anti-Google group is using a Google service, YouTube, to reach a wider audience.

Full press release here.