Communications of the ACM
An edited collection of advanced computing news from Communications of the ACM, ACM TechNews, other ACM resources, and news sites around the Web.
From ACM TechNews
Student-Athletes Required to Wear COVID Trackers at Washington State High School
Some student-athletes and coaches at Eatonville High School in Eatonville, WA, are being required to wear proximity monitors to trace potential COVID-19 exposure...
From ACM TechNews
Security Robots Expand Across U.S., with Few Tangible Results
Concrete proof that security robots reduce crime is lacking, despite wider deployment by U.S. government agencies and the private sector.
From ACM News
Supreme Court Limits Reach of Computer Crime Law
The court said the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act does not cover people who "have improper motives for obtaining the information that is otherwise available to them...
From ACM TechNews
Insecure Wheels: Police Turn to Car Data to Destroy Suspects' Alibis
Law enforcement agencies increasingly are using data stored in an automobile's onboard computers to solve crimes.
From ACM TechNews
Police in Mississippi Want Access to Live Home Security Video, Alarming Privacy Advocates
Officials in Jackson, MS, are expanding police surveillance by permitting live feeds from private security cameras to be sent to the city's real-time command center...
From ACM TechNews
In Singapore, Facial Recognition Getting Woven Into Everyday Life
Singaporeans will be able to access government and other services through a facial recognition feature in its SingPass national identity program.
From ACM TechNews
With Election Cybersecurity Experts in Short Supply, Some States Call In the National Guard
Some U.S. states are asking the National Guard to dispatch cybersecurity experts to fortify their voting systems ahead of the general election in November.
From ACM TechNews
Volunteer Hacker Army Boosts U.S. Election Cybersecurity
A University of Chicago program aims to strengthen U.S. election security by enlisting volunteer experts to aid local election officials.
From ACM News
Trump Administration Weighs Suspending Program for Foreign Students
The Trump administration may suspend OPT, a program for foreign students to stay in the U.S. to get 1 or 2 years of occupational training after their educations...
From ACM TechNews
Texas Man Close to Exoneration After Algorithm Leads to New Suspect
A man convicted for murder is on track to have his conviction overturned, thanks to an algorithm that reanalyzed DNA and pointed to a new suspect.
From ACM News
CIA Prepping For Possible Cyber Strike Against Russia
The Obama administration is contemplating an unprecedented cyber covert action against Russia in retaliation for alleged Russian interference in the American presidential...
From ACM Opinion
Cyber Spy High: Meet the Nsa's Hacker Recruiter
The National Security Agency has a recruiting problem.
From ACM News
Tor Trouble: Anonymizing Service Faces Vulnerability Claims
Tor, a service that helps cautious Internet users stay anonymous online, is facing increased scrutiny and potentially new attacks as the global debate on surveillance...
From ACM News
'running Battle': How Google Hopes to Beat Countries Cracking Down on Internet Freedom
Google hopes a little browser tool will help change the world.
From ACM News
Your Phone Is Blabbing Your Location to Anyone Who Will Listen
Everywhere you go, your phone is sending out signals that can be assembled to form a picture of your movements.
From ACM News
How Snowden Did It
When Edward Snowden stole the crown jewels of the National Security Agency, he didn't need to use any sophisticated devices or software or go around any computer...
From ACM News
Government Can Grab Cell Phone Location Records Without Warrant, Appeals Court Says
In a major victory for the Justice Department over privacy advocates, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that government agencies can collect records showing...
From ACM Careers
In the Virtual Cockpit: What It Takes to Fly a Drone
Drone pilots escape the physical demands and dangers of a traditional cockpit. There's no g-force pinning them to their seats, no uncomfortable pressure suit to...
From ACM News
Tech-Savvy Public Plays Key Role in Hunt For Bombing Suspects
Since the bombs went off in Boston's Copley Square on Monday, the FBI and Boston Police Department have been enlisting the public's help with what may be the world's...
From ACM News
As Boston Bombing Photos and Videos Pour In, Where Do Investigators Begin?
When bombs went off at the Boston Marathon finish line Monday, there were nearly as many camera-equipped smartphones as people there in Copley Square.12