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 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
What Are the Roadblocks to a 'Vaccine Passport'?
Creating a digital certificate of vaccination against the coronavirus is one of the hottest debates right now. What's keeping it from happening, and why are some...
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 News
Microsoft to Buy Nuance for $16 Billion to Focus on Health Care Tech
By acquiring a provider of artificial intelligence software, the tech giant is hoping to bolster its offerings for the fast-growing field of medical computing. ...
From ACM News
'Master,' 'Slave,' and the Fight Over Offensive Terms in Computing
Nearly a year after the Internet Engineering Task Force took up a plan to replace words that could be considered racist, the debate is still raging.
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
Likely Legal, 'Vaccine Passports' Emerge as the Next Coronavirus Divide
Businesses and universities want easy ways to see if students and customers are vaccinated, but conservative politicians are turning "vaccine passports" into a...
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
What We Got Wrong About Uber and Lyft
How can we believe that technology will help solve big problems if Uber's great promise didn't pan out?
From ACM News
Turing Award Goes to Creators of Computer Programming Building Blocks
Jeffrey Ullman and Alfred Aho developed many of the fundamental concepts that researchers use when they build new software.
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
Microsoft to Ease Workers Back to the Office Starting Next Week
It plans to remove restrictions only once the virus acts "more like an endemic virus such as the seasonal flu," an executive wrote.
From ACM News
Learning Apps Have Boomed in the Pandemic. Now Comes the Real Test.
Start-ups hope there's no turning back for online learning, even as more students return to the classroom.
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