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Computers-for-Student-Eyeballs Scheme Goes Under

Posted by Hemos on from the serves-them-right dept.

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."

2 of 94 comments (clear)

  1. Cultural immunization by kfg · · Score: 5

    >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.

  2. ZapMe! nothing more than professional con artists! by quamper · · Score: 5
    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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