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
In the Pandemic, Online Home-Buying Picks Up Speed
First-time buyers have the tech-smarts and now the tools to do all or part of their purchase online, sometimes even before seeing their new houses in person.
From ACM TechNews
Where Do Vaccine Doses Go, Who Gets Them? The Algorithms Decide
Trump administration officials last year formulated a Covid-19 vaccine distribution plan that has an algorithm allocate shots nationwide.
From ACM TechNews
Here's a Way to Learn If Facial Recognition Systems Used Your Photos
The Exposing.AI online tool lets people search image collections for photos of themselves, to learn if such images were used to train facial recognition systems...
From ACM News
Clearview AI’s Facial Recognition App Called Illegal in Canada
Canadian authorities declared that the company needed citizens' consent to use their biometric information, and told the firm to delete facial images from its database...
From ACM News
What We Learned From Apple’s New Privacy Labels
Requiring that app makers list the data they collect reveals a lot about what some apps do with our information (ahem, WhatsApp) but creates confusion about others...
From ACM News
They Found a Way to Limit Big Tech’s Power: Using the Design of Bitcoin
Companies inspired by the cryptocurrency are creating social networks, storing online content and hosting websites without any central authority.
From ACM News
Microsoft, Oracle and Salesforce Join Push for Digital Vaccination Credentials
In the U.S., there is no federal system consumers can use to get easy access to their immunization records online and establish their vaccination status for work...
From ACM News
Millions Flock to Telegram, Signal as Fears Grow Over Big Tech
The encrypted messaging services have become the world's hottest apps over the last week, driven by growing anxiety over the power of the biggest tech companies...
From ACM TechNews
Slouch or Slack Off, This 'Smart' Office Chair Cushion Will Record It
"Smart cushions" designed by a Chinese technology company and used in office chairs have engendered controversy over privacy and surveillance.
From ACM TechNews
He Created the Web. Now He's Out to Remake the Digital World.
Tim Berners-Lee hopes to bring the Web back to his original vision of a decentralized marketplace through personal online data stores (pods), with users controlling...
From ACM News
The Tech That Will Invade Our Lives in 2021
Spoiler: We're looking at another year of Internet services dominating many aspects of our lives.
From ACM TechNews
Microsoft Says Russian Hackers Viewed Some of Its Source Code
Microsoft on Thursday said the Russian exploit of U.S. government agencies and private corporations extended further into its network than previously thought.
From ACM News
Another Arrest, and Jail Time, Due to a Bad Facial Recognition Match
A New Jersey man was accused of shoplifting and trying to hit an officer with a car. He is the third known Black man to be wrongfully arrested based on face recognition...
From ACM News
A Rare Pandemic Silver Lining: Mental Health Start-Ups
Using teletherapy, metrics, and matching algorithms, entrepreneurs are focusing on addressing aspects of the mental health care system that they view as broken....
From ACM TechNews
Does the Shoe Fit? Try It On with Augmented Reality
Retailers are increasingly reliant on augmented reality technology to help consumers try on products, hoping to virtually recreate the real-world shopping experience...
From ACM TechNews
Vaccinated? Show Us Your App
Recipients of the Covid-19 vaccine may eventually be given digital health credentials in order to travel, go to work or school, visit entertainment venues, and...
From ACM News
Scope of Russian Hack Becomes Clear: Multiple U.S. Agencies Were Hit
The Pentagon, intelligence agencies, nuclear labs, and Fortune 500 companies use software found to have been compromised by Russian hackers. The sweep of stolen...
From ACM News
Smarter Traffic Lights, Calmer Commuters
Advances in technology may come to a corner near you, easing traffic and possibly helping the environment.
From ACM TechNews
Coronavirus Apps Show Promise but Prove a Tough Sell
Despite pilot studies demonstrating that smartphone applications can slow Covid-19 transmission, buy-in from people and states is lacking.
From ACM News