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
'Very Harmful' Lack of Data Blunts U.S. Response to Outbreaks
Major data gaps, the result of decades of underinvestment in public health, have undercut the government response to the coronavirus, and now to monkeypox.
From ACM TechNews
YouTube's Dislike Button Rarely Shifts Recommendations
Mozilla Foundation researchers found pressing the "dislike" button on a YouTube video does little to improve the videos chosen by the YouTube platform's recommender...
From ACM News
Social Media Companies Still Boost Election Fraud Claims, Report Says
The report argues the companies fuel false conspiracies about election fraud despite promises to combat them.
From ACM News
This Ad's for You (Not Your Neighbor)
Data mining plus streaming can target political ads household by household, mostly unregulated.
From ACM News
Clearview AI, Used by Police to Find Criminals, Is Now in Public Defenders' Hands
After a Florida man was accused of vehicular homicide, his lawyer used Clearview AI's facial recognition software to prove his innocence.
From ACM News
Biden Issues New Order to Block Chinese Investment in Technology in the U.S.
The move reflects growing unease about China's ability to access the personal information that Americans hand over to mobile apps and other services.
From ACM News
California Governor Signs Sweeping Children's Online Safety Bill
The bill could require many social media sites, games and other online services used by children to install protections for minors.
From ACM TechNews
One Solution to the Digital Divide: Teens
The 4-H Tech Changemakers program provides young people with the education and tools needed to teach digital skills to adults in their communities.
From ACM News
The Supply Chain Broke. Robots Are Supposed to Help Fix It
The companies behind e-commerce are embracing automation as the means of transcending the limitations of humans.
From ACM News
He Used AI to Win a Fine-Arts Competition. Was It Cheating?
One judge said the striking piece evoked Renaissance art. But some critics compared it to 'entering a marathon and driving a Lamborghini to the finish line.'
From ACM TechNews
The Animal Translators
Researchers are using machine learning systems to decode animal communication.
From ACM TechNews
An Apple Watch for Your Five-Year-Old?
Parents in the U.S. are increasingly buying Apple Watches for children as young as five years old as a short-term substitute for cellphones.
From ACM News
Sweeping Children's Online Safety Bill Is Passed in California
The new rules, which would require many online services to increase protections for children, could change how popular social media and game platforms treat minors...
From ACM News
Did My Cat Just Hit On Me? An Adventure in Pet Translation
Entrepreneurs are aiming to put A.I.-powered pet translation tools into our pockets.
From ACM News
The Animal Translators
Scientists are using machine learning to eavesdrop on naked mole rats, fruit bats, crows, and whales—and to communicate back.
From ACM News
Xi Jinping's Vision for Tech Self-Reliance in China Runs Into Reality
After heavy national investment in semiconductors to break a dependence on global chips, Xi seems unhappy with the results.
From ACM News
One Man's Dream of Fusing A.I. With Common Sense
Artificial intelligence systems can process vast amounts of data in seconds, but they can't make sense of the world or explain their decisions. David Ferrucci wants...
From ACM TechNews
White House Pushes Journals to Drop Paywalls on Publicly Funded Research
The White House has directed academic journals to provide immediate access to research that is publicly funded.
From ACM News
Remote Scan of Student's Room Before Test Violated His Privacy, Judge Rules
A federal judge said Cleveland State University violated the Fourth Amendment when it used software to scan a student's bedroom.
From ACM News