Communications of the ACM
The news archive provides access to past news stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
October 2021
From ACM News
Notorious Ransomware Group REvil Knocked Offline, According to Report
REvil was hacked and forced offline this week in a multiple-country effort, according to Reuters.
From ACM News
FTC Calls Out Internet Providers for Amassing User Browsing Data
Six major ISPs collect far more user data than consumers realize, the FTC warns, including data grouping those consumers by race and sexual orientation.
From ACM TechNews
Scientists Enable Blind Woman to See Simple Shapes Using Brain Implant
Scientists at the University of Utah and Spain's Miguel Hernandez University have given artificial vision to a blind woman through a brain implant.
From ACM TechNews
Walgreens Testing Drone Deliveries in Texas
Retail pharmacy chain Walgreens and Google affiliate Wing will test drone deliveries in Texas next week in the city of Frisco and the town of Little Elm.
From ACM TechNews
One Giant Leap for the Mini Cheetah
A new control system enhances the speed and agility of legged robots as they leap across gaps.
From ACM TechNews
The Fickleness of Fame
Scientists tracked media mentions of people who died between 2009 and 2014 to gauge how long recently deceased public figures remain in collective memory.
From ACM TechNews
Gaming-Related Malware on the Rise on Mobile, PCs
Analysts warn that popular online games are helping to spread malware on PCs and mobile devices.
From ACM News
How AI is Reinventing What Computers Are
Three key ways artificial intelligence is changing what it means to compute.
From ACM News
Commerce Department Announces Rule Aimed at Stemming Sale of Hacking Tools to Russia, China
The rule is not intended to keep American researchers from working with colleagues overseas to find software flaws.
From ACM News
Intel Slipped, and Its Future Now Depends on Making Everyone Else's Chips
Intel slipped—and its future now depends on making everyone else's chips.
From ACM TechNews
Accelerating the Discovery of Materials for 3D Printing
Researchers have developed a less costly, less wasteful machine learning system for identifying three-dimensionally-printable materials.
From ACM TechNews
Combating COVID-19 Misinformation: Brief Infographic Exposure May Increase Trust in Science
Brief exposure to an infographic about the scientific process could strengthen people's trust in science and mitigate COVID-19 misinformation.
From ACM TechNews
Popular Student Monitoring Software Could Have Exposed Thousands to Hacks
The McAfee Enterprise Advanced Threat Research team found a bug in the Netop Vision Pro Education software used by about 3 million teachers and students worldwide.
From ACM TechNews
Algorithm Accurately Detects Disease-Causing Variants in Infants with Rare Diseases
The Fabric GEM algorithm was able to detect disease-causing variants in infants with rare diseases at six leading genomic centers and hospitals with high accuracy.
From ACM News
Looking for Insights from Artificial Intelligence
Will AI make future discoveries for us?
From ACM News
How to Talk to the World Through Free Translation Apps
Open up Google Translate or Apple's Translate and your mobile device turns into your personal language interpreter.
From ACM News
Facebook Rebuked by Oversight Board Over Transparency on Treatment of Prominent Users
Board set up by Facebook rebukes company after Wall Street Journal investigation into treatment of high-profile users.
From ACM News
Is Facebook Changing Its Name? Here's What to Know
Facebook also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, signaling that a name change could put these brands and more all under the same umbrella.
From ACM TechNews
Satellites Sweep for the World's Biggest Climate Polluters
Satellites are emerging as tools to monitor countries for anti-pollution compliance.
From ACM TechNews
Tech Salaries on the Rise, Just Not in NYC or San Francisco
Technology job marketplace Hired said the push for remote work has caused technology salaries in New York City and San Francisco to fall.
From ACM TechNews
Technology Offers Anonymous Way to Report Abuse, Doping
RealResponse has forged a deal with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to use its technology platform to enable whistleblowers to report concerns about possible doping.
From ACM TechNews
AI Brings Hidden Picasso Nude to Life
Artificial intelligence, advanced imaging, and three-dimensional printing revealed the portrait of a nude woman hidden beneath the surface of a Picasso painting.
From ACM TechNews
Privacy Fears as Moscow Metro Rolls Out Facial Recognition Pay System
Privacy activists warn the Moscow metro's Face Pay facial recognition payment system constitutes a sinister move by Russia to monitor and control its people.
From ACM TechNews
Researchers Successfully Build Four-Legged Swarm Robots
A University of Notre Dame's researcher built four-legged swarm robots capable of traversing rough terrain and performing complex tasks collectively.
From ACM News
Google Quietly Tweaks Image Searches for Racially Diverse Results
Effort is meant to avoid incidents that show algorithmic bias.
From ACM News
Facebook Will Pay up to $14 million to Settle Claims it Favored Foreign Workers
The claims were part of an effort by the Trump administration to push the country's biggest tech companies to hire more U.S. workers.
From ACM News
Another Facebook Whistleblower Just Testified in British Parliament
Here's what to know about her allegations.
From ACM News
AI Has Cracked a Key Mathematical Puzzle for Understanding Our World
Partial differential equations can describe everything from planetary motion to plate tectonics, but they're notoriously hard to solve.
From ACM TechNews
Researchers Develop AI System to Improve Eye Disease Detection
The comprehensive artificial intelligence retinal expert (CARE) system can detect and monitor eye diseases.
From ACM TechNews
7-Eleven Took Photos of Australian Customers' Faces Without Consent, Privacy Commissioner Rules
Australian privacy commissioner Angelene Falk said facial recognition technology used in 700 Australian 7-Eleven stores interfered with customer privacy.