Computers-for-Student-Eyeballs Scheme Goes Under

mwalker writes "The New York Times is reporting that ZapMe corporation is sending schools the bill for computers that they had given the schools for free. ZapMe's original business model of playing ads for students on the computers, and trading their personal information for "Zap points" towards prizes seems to have fallen afoul of a few privacy advocates."

Comments

Cultural immunization

[kfg]

>I know it's important to protect children from bad influences

No, it is NOT important to protect children from "bad influences."

It is important the teach children how to DEAL with bad influences in a positive manner.

In our current social structure we forcably maintain children as innocents, and then, when they hit 18, say " You're an adult now, behave like one."

But we've never * taught them HOW to behave as adults.* No wonder college age 'kids' have a reputation for appaling behaviour.

The role of a parent is NOT to protect children, but rather to teach them to protect themselves.

IANAL, but...

[Kierthos]

If the contract between the school and the corporation was for free computers, no conditions, then they can't turn around and charge for the computers, no matter what. It's called Breach of Contract, or something like that.

Now, mind you, if the contract had some agreement that the ads would be available for students to use at their discretion, then they still shouldn't be able to charge for the computers, because freedom of choice lets the students answer the ads or not answer the ads at their choice.

Finally, if the contract said that X percentage or X many students had to fill out the ads, then I believe it is patently unenforceable, because a contract between two parties cannot govern a third party who is not a signator of the contract. Which means that the contract would have been made in Bad Faith and is null. Whether the computers have to be returned or not, I don't know, but the schools still shouldn't have to pay for them.

Again, IANAL.

Kierthos

ZapMe! nothing more than professional con artists!

[quamper]

From the start of hearing about the ZapMe! program. At the time when it was at it's "peak" I was working as a network administrator for a fairly large public highschool where one of the science teachers was on fire to sign up. I pretty much stayed out if it and let them deal with it all so I wouldn't be responisble for the consequences. After going to a couple of technology conferences and talking to some of the ZapMe! reps (every time I talked with them they were dressed in a costume! Santa/Bunny/Chicken!&!& never could figure that out!)

Any ways didn't sound too bad, but I refused to sign anything and eventually the school board decided to go with the go ahead to sign up. Well luckily before they signed all the final papers one of the lawyers was going over some of the contract information and they had altered the agreement at the last minute! You can rip of big companies all you want and you can swindle home users because they're idiots! (not flaming just trying to make a point!) But conning public schools is the worst thing in the world! They barely have enough money as it is pay the teachers let alone buy computers!

And for the record we had Channel One and there is no way I would compare it to ZapMe! I was very impressed with Channel One, they were nice as could be and legit all the way. And the commercials for the most part were funny or at least not annoying.
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The scariest part of the article

[Rurik]

Donna Unterreiner, a library media specialist for the Margaret Buerkle Junior High School in St. Louis, said that the ZapMe lab had been "a godsend for us," since the school district had not been able to pass bond issues that would have otherwise paid for Internet access. The advertising, she said, did not bother her or her students. "Can you turn on a computer anywhere, and they don't have ads on them?" she asked.

I can not believe this. Now the whole computer industry is so tainted and jaded in the eyes of everyday people that they see no problem in advertisements all over their machine. Since when does using a computer entitle you to having to watch dozens of ads sucking up your bandwidth. But it's now a common conception in our minds that that is what has to happen. If we want a computer, we get ads. If we want internet, we have to watch ads on every page. If we want to play games, we have to watch ads.

a bit extreme?

[Thackeri]

Erm, is it just me or isn't the site obligation.org a little extreme, strident, odd? Two bits that jumped out at me were:

• [pic of doom II box] Picture of ultra-violent video game taken from ZapBuys web site.
  
  
• [pic of marylin manson] ZapMe! allows children to have full access to Amazon.com. All they need is a credit card number and they can order the most vile music and sleaziest movies. Make no mistake - ZapMe! wants to convert children's allowance money into revenue for its advertisers. That is how they will make money.

I know it's important to protect children from bad influences but I don't think the people who wrote the page referred to are particularly objective on this.

Not that I'm standing up for amazon but they're hardly major corrupters of children. It wouldn't suprise me if this site is against the Simpsons and Buffy!

Thank goodness this is in America!

Bad business models.

[tippergore]

One more example of a bad business model that should have never been accepted by anyone. Just like channel one, students get a small benefit in exchange for the inescapable corporatist propaganda they are forced to swallow.

This stuff is partially our fault. Geeks should volunteer their time more than the norm. Imagine what could be accomplished if a few nerds got ahold of a four thousand dollars? You could build many good usable computers for that pricetag. Maybe they wouldn't be up to par for running Word 2000, but they would certainly be capable of teaching introductory to advanced computer courses, that's for sure.

Microsoft 'innovation' forces many schools to get into an inescapable loop of buying newer hardware to run software that's not all that much different from previos versions. My friend is currently working as a student teacher, and he's completely stranded technologically when he enters the school. They just don't have the resources or the know-how to get wired, a little linux and a little help would help out a lot.

I hadn't really thought seriously about voluteering before reading this, but it appears that public schools are desperate enough to submit to the demands of greedy profiteers. Its got to stop, and it appears the only way to stop it is to offer alternatives.

What's wrong with some commercialism in schools?

[paeanblack]

Bobby buys a pack of Marlboro Lights. He smokes alf of them, then a friend bums one, then he smokes a third of what's left. How many does he have left?

KRAFT:NABISCO as THE GAP:
a) WALMART
b) ANN TAYLOR
c) L.L. BEAN
d) SEAGRAMS

Describe the process used by Dr. Hammond to bring the dinosaurs back from extinction:

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Viral marketing of your test answers will require taking student ethics classes.