Just in time for the holiday weekend, a California-based consumer group has purchased space on a Times Square jumbotron to display a video that attacks Google chief executive Eric Schmidt and his company's privacy policies.
The effort is part of Consumer Watchdog's "Don't Track Me" campaign, which is pushing Congress to pass legislation that would create a list of consumers who do not want Internet companies tracking their online activities – much like the "do not call" list bans unsolicited telemarketing calls.
"We're satirizing Schmidt in the most highly-trafficked public square in the nation to make the public aware of how out of touch Schmidt and Google are when it comes to our privacy rights," Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, said in a statement.
The organizaiton pointed to Google's unauthorized collection of unencrypted data traveling over Wi-Fi networks, its Buzz social-networking service, and recent policy proposal with Verizon regarding net neutrality as evidence that Google has "lost its way."
The Times Square ad, projected on a 540 square foot screen, is a 15-second animated short featuring a bobble-headed Schmidt as an evil ice cream man. "He's collecting YOUR personal information," a message flashes on the screen.
It then urges viewers to "tell Google to stop tracking your every move" by texting "EVIL" to 69866, though it's unclear what that text will accomplish (or, ironically, if your cell phone information will be collected). Consumer Watchdog did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
"We like ice cream as much as anyone, but we like privacy even more," a Google spokesman said in a statement. "That's why we provide tools for users to control their privacy online, like Google Dashboard, Ads Preference Manager, Chrome incognito mode and 'off the record' Gmail chat. You can check out these tools at google.com/privacy."
A longer, 1:34 minute version of the video (below) shows Schmidt offering children free ice cream and then ordering a Google employee concealed in the van to take "full body scans" of those who accept. "I already know your favorite flavors," cartoon Schmidt says ominously.
"If there's anything you don't want anyone to know, well, you shouldn't be doing it in the first place," cartoon Schmidt says to the children, before telling them about their parents' questionable Web activities. He then takes out Google's latest "product" – Google Wi-Spy glasses – before being chased away by angry parents.
The video closes by asking viewers to ask Congress for a "do not track me" list.
"We think there should be another way to protect the public's online privacy: a 'Do Not Track Me' list that prevents Google or any other Internet company from tracking your every move online," said John M. Simpson, director of the group's Inside Google Project.