Technology Update

Data From Free Computer Labs Raise Privacy Concerns: A company that places state-of-the-art computers in schools free of charge—in exchange for the opportunity to expose students to advertising—came under fire last week from a diverse coalition of media and advocacy groups.

The coalition sent letters to all governors and chairmen of education committees in state legislatures charging the San Ramon, Calif.-based ZapMe! Corp. with invading students' privacy without the permission of their parents. In addition, it sent letters to other companies, including the Microsoft Corp. and Dell Computer Co., that have partnerships with ZapMe!, urging them to break off relations with ZapMe!

"ZapMe! violates the privacy of schoolchildren, misuses the schools and compulsory-schooling laws to force children to watch ads during school time, and degrades the moral authority of schools and teachers by turning them into instruments of corporate advertising and...