The privacy groups are boycotting Intel because they fear its new Pentium III microprocessor could be exploited by hackers to find out personal information about computer users. The Pentium III has a personal identification number, dubbed the Processor Serial Number, built into it for security purposes.

Jason Catlett, president of Junkbusters Corp. in Green Brook, N.J., said that his group and the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington would write letters pointing out Intel's "socially irresponsible" stance and ask shareholders such as Citizens Emerging Growth, Parnassus Fund, Domini Social Equity Fund, Calvert Social Equity, Smith Barney Concert Social Awareness, and Dreyfus Third Century Fund to unload their stock, which is valued well above $1 billion.

Last week,Intel officials said they wanted to give consumers a choice on the matter and so would continue to make the feature available. If users want to protect their privacy, they can turn off the feature, an Intel spokesman said, but they can turn it on if they wanted to visit Web sites that require identification for commerce purposes.