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
French Tax Officials Use AI to Spot 20,000 Undeclared Pools
French tax officials used artificial intelligence to identify over 20,0000 undeclared private swimming pools, constituting about €10 million (over $10 million)...
From ACM TechNews
New Zealand VR App Helps Conquer Phobias
oVRcome, a phone-based virtual reality (VR) application designed to treat phobias, successfully completed a six-week clinical trial.
From ACM News
'They Couldn't Even Scream Any More. They Were Just Sobbing': The Amateur Investors Ruined by the Crypto Crash
Fuelled by hype and hysteria, the market in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies went from an obscure niche to a $3-trillion industry. Then the house of cards collapsed...
From ACM News
I Am Not a Robot: iOS Verification Update Marks End of 'Captchas'
Tests where you are asked to spot traffic lights or type out wobbly letters may be a thing of the past.
From ACM TechNews
People with Type 1 Diabetes in England to Receive Skin Sensor to Monitor Blood Sugar
The U.K. National Health Service will offer roughly 250,000 people in England with type 1 diabetes a skin sensor to monitor their blood sugar.
From ACM News
Pinterest Bans All Climate Misinformation
The image-focused social network says it will take down content that distorts or denies facts of climate crisis.
From ACM News
AI Beats 8 World Champions at Bridge
Victory marks milestone for AI as bridge requires more human skills than other strategy games
From ACM TechNews
Seconds Before Earthquake Rattled California, Phones Got Vital Warning
An early-alert system managed by the U.S. Geological Survey on Monday warned Californians of a 6.2-magnitude earthquake by phone, seconds before it struck.
From ACM TechNews
South Korea Trials Robots in Preschools to Prepare Children for High-Tech Future
The South Korean government has launched trials of small robots in 300 nurseries and childcare centers in Seoul as teaching aids.
From ACM TechNews
Working of Algorithms Used in Government Decision-Making to Be Revealed
A new U.K. government standard for transparency requires ministers and public entities to disclose the underlying architecture of algorithms they use for decision...
From ACM TechNews
Privacy Fears as Moscow Metro Rolls Out Facial Recognition Pay System
Privacy activists warn the Moscow metro's Face Pay facial recognition payment system constitutes a sinister move by Russia to monitor and control its people.
From ACM TechNews
7-Eleven Took Photos of Australian Customers' Faces Without Consent, Privacy Commissioner Rules
Australian privacy commissioner Angelene Falk said facial recognition technology used in 700 Australian 7-Eleven stores interfered with customer privacy.
From ACM News
Huge Data Leak Shatters the Lie that the Innocent Need Not Fear Surveillance
The Guardian's investigation shows how repressive regimes can buy and use the kind of spying tools Edward Snowden warned us about.
From ACM TechNews
Blood Test That Finds 50 Types of Cancer Accurate Enough to Be Rolled Out
Researchers found that a blood test developed using a machine learning algorithm is accurate in detecting more than 50 types of cancer.
From ACM News
Robot Rock: Can Big Tech Pick Pop's Next Megastar?
Faced with so much new music, major labels are using algorithms to hunt down tomorrow's hits. Is this great news for rising stars – or the recipe for a bland new...
From ACM News
Scientists May Have Solved Ancient Mystery of 'First Computer'
Researchers claim breakthrough in study of 2,000-year-old Antikythera mechanism, an astronomical calculator found in sea
From ACM TechNews
Electricity Needed to Mine Bitcoin is More Than Used by 'Entire Countries'
The Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index estimated the electricity used to mine bitcoins last year equaled the annual carbon footprint of Argentina. ...
From ACM TechNews
Drones Join Fight to Save New Zealand's Rarest Dolphin
The nonprofit MAUI63 organization hopes to preserve New Zealand's endangered Maui dolphin with an aerial drone.
From ACM TechNews
Tech Platforms Vowed to Address Racial Equity: How Have They Fared?
Facebook and other major technology platforms pledged to improve their diversity and antiracism efforts this year in response to racial unrest in the U.S. How have...
From ACM TechNews
Not to Be Sneezed At: How 3D Printing Is Supersizing the Tiny World of Pollen
Oliver Wilson at the U.K.'s University of Reading has created a platform for three-dimensionally printing oversized models of pollen grains from high-quality scans...12