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
Disney, Ad-Tech Firms Agree to Privacy Changes for Children's Apps
Disney, Viacom, and 10 advertising technology firms will remove or disable tracking software from popular children's gaming apps.
From ACM News
N.Y.P.D.'s Robot Dog Returns to Work, Touching Off a Backlash
Deployed at a public housing building, the device drew condemnation as a stark example of police power and misplaced priorities.
From ACM TechNews
NFTs Are Shaking Up the Art World. They May Be Warming the Planet, Too.
Digital artworks known as nonfungible tokens are selling for massive sums, but research indicates their creation may carry an enormous environmental cost.
From ACM News
'It's a Roller-Coaster Ride': Global Chip Shortage Is Making Industries Sweat
The Internet-connected world is completely dependent on the production of semiconductors. That's become a problem now that supplies are running short.
From ACM News
Coinbase's Public Listing Is a Cryptocurrency Coming-Out Party
With acceptance from traditional investors, a profitable start-up that eases transactions is offering proof of the industry's staying power.
From ACM TechNews
Is 'Femtech' the Next Big Thing in Healthcare?
Numerous apps and technology companies are emerging in the "femtech" industry to address women's biological needs.
From ACM TechNews
As Locusts Swarmed East Africa, This Tech Helped Squash Them
A 2020 locust plague in East Africa was mitigated by technology-driven countermeasures.
From ACM News
That Spotty Wi-Fi? There’s $100 Billion to Fix It.
Clearing hurdles to fast Internet for all.
From ACM News
If You Care About Privacy, It's Time to Try a New Web Browser
A new crop of Internet browsers from Brave, DuckDuckGo, and others offer stronger privacy protections than what you might be used to.
From ACM News
Is Coffee Good for Us? Maybe Machine Learning Can Help Figure It Out.
The advice from research on coffee, and nutrition more generally, always seems to be changing. Processing vast amounts of data could help us pin it down.
From ACM News
What a Gambling App Knows About You
Sky Bet, the most popular gambling app in Britain, compiled extensive records about a user, tracking him in ways he never imagined.
From ACM News
Carmakers Strive to Stay Ahead of Hackers
The effects of a breach of a car, or fleet, could be devastating. Auto manufacturers and suppliers have aggressive plans, and a lot of firewalls.
From ACM TechNews
Drive-Throughs That Predict Your Order? Restaurants Are Thinking Fast
Many restaurants expect digital ordering and drive-throughs to remain key business channels, and some are testing artificial intelligence to predict and suggest...
From ACM News
Livestreaming, Still Niche, Grows as a Tool for Retailers
Amazon Live is a prominent example of how interactive video shopping, popularized by TV networks like QVC, has moved online.
From ACM News
Russia Says It Is Slowing Access to Twitter
Moscow accused the social network of failing to remove content it deemed illegal. Soon after, a raft of government websites suffered a short outage.
From ACM News
Your Loved Ones, and Eerie Tom Cruise Videos, Reanimate Unease With Deepfakes
A tool that allows old photographs to be animated, and viral videos of a Tom Cruise impersonation, shined new light on digital impersonations.
From ACM News
A.I. Here, There, Everywhere
Many of us already live with artificial intelligence now, but researchers say interactions with the technology will become increasingly personalized.
From ACM TechNews
China Charges Ahead with National Digital Currency
China is forging ahead with a national digital currency called the electronic Chinese yuan (eCNY).
From ACM News
Digidog, a Robotic Dog Used by the Police, Stirs Privacy Concerns
The New York Police Department has been testing Digidog for deployment in dangerous situations, but some fear it could become an aggressive surveillance tool.
From ACM News