Communications of the ACM
Giving AI Common Sense
Can we teach smart machines what is obvious to every 10-year-old?
From ACM NewsAn edited collection of advanced computing news from Communications of the ACM, ACM TechNews, other ACM resources, and news sites around the Web.
From ACM News
Publishers Sue Internet Archive Over Free E-Books
Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Wiley accused the nonprofit of piracy for making over 1 million books free online.
From ACM News
China’s Virus Apps May Outlast the Outbreak, Stirring Privacy Fears
With the disease there mostly under control, officials are looking for new uses for the government software that's now on many phones.
From ACM News
App Shows Promise in Tracking New Coronavirus Cases, Study Finds
The app, which allows people to record their symptoms, was remarkably effective in predicting infections. The most reliable indicators, researchers found, were...
From ACM TechNews
This Was Supposed to Be the Year Driverless Cars Went Mainstream
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted technology companies' plans to bring autonomous vehicles into the mainstream this year.
From ACM News
A Private Equity Firm Is Blocked From Buying .Org
The deal for the Internet domain for nonprofit organizations had set off fierce opposition.
From ACM TechNews
How Are You Feeling? Surveys Aim to Detect COVID-19 Hot Spots Early
More than 2 million Britons and 150,000 Israelis have completed health surveys to trace COVID-19 outbreaks and send resources where they can do the most good.
From ACM TechNews
Facebook, Google, Twitter Struggle to Handle November's Election
Major technology companies have spent billions in the past three years to prevent election meddling, but new challenges are adding to their struggle in the run-up...
From ACM TechNews
Can YouTube Quiet Its Conspiracy Theorists?
While YouTube has reduced how often its algorithm recommends conspiracy theory-related videos, its progress in dealing with conspiracy theories has been uneven....
From ACM TechNews
Activate 'Bracelet of Silence' and Alexa Can't Eavesdrop
A prototype wearable device blocks microphones in the vicinity from eavesdropping on conversations.
From ACM News
New Mexico Sues Google Over Children’s Privacy Violations
The lawsuit says that Google, the top tech brand in public schools, used its educational products to spy on students.
From ACM TechNews
Ransomware Attacks Grow, Crippling Cities, Businesses
In recent years, ransomware attacks have crippled computer networks and extorted money to restore access to users.
From ACM TechNews
Britain to Create Regulator for Internet Content
The U.K. has introduced a plan to give the country's media regulator Ofcom new responsibilities for monitoring Internet content.
From ACM TechNews
Data Driving New Approaches to Transportation
Shifts in transportation highlight cities' need for data management to cope with traffic, digital platforms, and other trends.
From ACM TechNews
An Algorithm That Grants Freedom, or Takes It Away
Local authorities in the U.S. and Europe use predictive governance algorithms to assess people's risk of criminality, and base probation, jail time, and other decisions...
From ACM TechNews
Facebook to Pay $550M to Settle Facial Recognition Suit
Facebook has agreed to play $550 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over its use of facial recognition technology in Illinois.
From ACM TechNews
Many Facial Recognition Systems Are Biased, Says U.S. Study
A study found most commercial facial recognition algorithms are biased, and falsely identify African-American and Asian faces 10 to 100 times more frequently than...
From ACM TechNews
Twitter, Facebook Want to Shift Power to Users. Or Do They?
Major Internet companies have come to see bitcoin technology as a potential solution to many challenges.
From ACM News
Killer Robots Aren’t Regulated. Yet.
"Killing in the Age of Algorithms" is a New York Times documentary examining the future of artificial intelligence and warfare.
From ACM TechNews
On Data Privacy, India Charts Its Own Path
India is considering its first major data privacy statute.
From ACM TechNews
Drones Used in Crime Fly Under the Law's Radar
When a drone is flown as part of a crime, authorities often have a hard time collecting evidence unless they can actually obtain the device.12