“You” Video: The New Cause Politics?

And now for the next generation of the powers of social media to cause-politicize the masses, get ready for You Video.

No, we’re not talking YouTube. That’s oh-so-yesterday. Think 2010 midterm elections. As the political waters heat up online and off, progressives are carving out a new 3.0 approach to political outreach, launching a new type of fundraising video that, well, involves the up close and personal “you.” On video. No kidding. [Quick, better spruce up that online photo.]

To see just how up close and personalized these videos are, check out the latest “Blue State” fundraising appeal from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), in partnership with MoveOn.org and Brave New Films. Called “Glenn Beck Attacks,” the campaign personalizes a video interface and, using a Facebook interface that “grabs” your photo and other personal data from your Wall, instantly creates a pseudo newscast with you all over it.

The video caption reads: “Fox host Glenn Beck spent much of the last week claiming that a normal, everyday progressive was linked to Stalin, Elvis, Joe Biden’s cousin, and the guy who came up with the idea of taxes.”

The interface adds your name and picture to a phony CNN-like news segment,  but for those who wish [depending on the level of your political angst or activism], the video can be personalized even further, to include one’s hometown, friends’ names, employer, and so forth.

Have a look by clicking on http://beck.cnnbcvideo.com and walk through the paces.

Is this the next generation of political advertising, or the next privacy violation? The site advises people to worry not: “This video and site are fictional and satirical,” it says.

What do you think? Is this campaign going to go viral or is it too close for comfort? And regardless, what applications might there be here for cause-related video campaigns? Let us hear from you.

Read more stories by Marcia Stepanek.