ZapMe!
The ZapMe! Corp. was a form of electronic privacy invasion that tried to take root in the schools. It failed.
In essence, ZapMe! planted computers in the schools as advertising delivery, market research and surveillance machines. It tried to turn the schools and the compulsory schooling laws into a means of gaining access to a captive audience of children in order to extract market research from them and to advertise to them.
We opposed ZapMe!'s business operations in the schools. ZapMe! violated the privacy of schoolchildren, misused the schools and compulsory schooling laws to force children to watch ads during school time, and degraded the moral authority of schools and teachers by turning them into instruments of corporate advertising and marketing.
Following widespread outrage from parents and citizens, the ZapMe! Corp. is exiting the education "business."
More Information
News Releases
Coalition Criticizes President Clinton Over Support of Company That Invades Children's Privacy
Gary Ruskin and Jim Metrock | February 8th, 2000
Coalition Asks States to Protect Children from ZapMe! Corp. Privacy Invasion, Wants Corporations to Sever Partnerships with ZapMe!
Gary Ruskin | January 19th, 2000
ZapMe! Corp. Spies on Schoolchildren, Passes Data to Marketers
Gary Ruskin | December 8th, 1998
ZapMe!: A New Corporate Predator in the Schools
Gary Ruskin | October 29th, 1998
Related Articles and Links
Related Articles
Online profiling gets mixed marks in the classroom
Dana Hawkins | U.S. News & World Report | April 17th, 2001
E-Commerce (A Special Report): The Business --- Expelled! The future of e-commerce will no doubt be littered with failed education companies
Rob Eure | Wall Street Journal | March 12th, 2001
ZapMe Kills Computers In The Classroom
Betsy Schiffman | Forbes.com | November 28th, 2000
Offer of Free Computers for Schools Is Withdrawn
John Schwartz | New York Times | November 2nd, 2000
Schools Zapped by Advertising; ZapMe! Corp. brings commercials into the classroom via computer
Education Reporter | October 31st, 2000
'E' is for E-Commerce
Tim Dickinson | Mother Jones | May 1st, 2000
Criticism for Company Offering Free Computers to Schools
Pamela Mendels | New York Times | February 2nd, 2000
ZapMe Is Targeted Over Student Data Collected on Web
Daniel Golden | Wall Street Journal | January 19th, 2000
Push for Computers in Classrooms Gathers New Foes
Pamela Mendels | New York Times | December 15th, 1999
An Icon From Our Sponsor
Brad Stone | Newsweek | November 23rd, 1998