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
Tech to Contain Coronavirus on College Campuses Sparks Fresh Privacy Concerns
U.S. colleges are racing to contain the Covid-19 pandemic with technology including contact-tracing applications and facial recognition, prompting concerns about...
From ACM TechNews
No Masks, No Coughs: Robots Can Be Just What the Doctor Ordered in Time of Social Distancing
In Japan, a country with a long fascination with robots, automated assistants have become bartenders, security guards, deliverymen, and more, since the onset of...
From ACM TechNews
Virtual Try-Ons Replacing Fitting Rooms During the Pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has spurred consumers to substitute fitting rooms with augmented reality using their smartphones and computers.
From ACM TechNews
Study Reveals Extent of Hate Speech on Reddit in Right-Leaning Forums
A new study found that more comment moderation is necessary to curtail racist and white supremacist content on Reddit.
From ACM News
Elite CIA Unit that Developed Hacking Tools Failed to Secure its Own Systems, Allowing Massive Leak
The breach came nearly three years after Edward Snowden stole and disclosed classified information about NSA surveillance operations.
From ACM TechNews
NYU Report Calls On Social Media Titans to Stop Outsourcing Content Moderation
A New York University report urges social media companies to stop outsourcing the moderation of their content.
From ACM TechNews
Arizona Sues Google Over Allegations It Illegally Tracked Android Smartphone Users' Locations
Arizona has filed a lawsuit against Google for allegedly monitoring the locations of Android smartphone users even when such features purportedly were disabled,...
From ACM TechNews
Companies' Use of Thermal Cameras to Speed Return to Work Sparks Worries About Civil Liberties
Thermal imaging may be used to identify those suspected of having the coronavirus, but civil liberties experts warn such systems will monitor some who may not know...
From ACM News
Silicon Valley is Racing to Build the Next Version of the Internet. Fortnite Might Get There First.
In recent years, there's been serious talk about how to build the Metaverse, the next version of the Internet, and who will build it first.
From ACM TechNews
With Coronavirus Closing Schools, Here's How Video Games are Helping Teachers
The quarantine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted teachers to utilize popular video games to conduct lessons on a range of topics.
From ACM News
Your Internet is Working. Thank These Cold War-era Pioneers who Designed it to Handle Almost Anything
Coronavirus may have forced people to stay at home, but the Internet these scientists envisioned long ago is keeping the world connected.
From ACM TechNews
Facebook Sent Home Thousands of Human Moderators Due to the Coronavirus. Now the Algorithms Are in Charge
Facebook has placed its army of human moderators on paid leave, forcing the company to police disinformation without them.
From ACM TechNews
Millions of Tweets Peddled Conspiracy Theories About Coronavirus in Other Countries, an Unpublished U.S. Report Says
An unpublished U.S. State Department study estimated that about 2 million tweets promoted conspiracy theories about the coronavirus over the three-week period when...
From ACM TechNews
NOAA to Triple Supercomputing Capacity in Bid to Dramatically Improve Forecast Accuracy
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has contracted for two new supercomputers, which would triple the organization's computing capacity.
From ACM TechNews
ICE Has Run Facial Recognition Searches on Millions of Maryland Drivers
Maryland officials said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have run facial recognition searches on millions of state driver's license photos without...
From ACM TechNews
Employers Adding High-Tech Solutions to Solve Low-Tech Problem: Getting More Sleep
Employers are providing workers with high-tech tools to help them get more sleep, in the hope of improving productivity and reducing healthcare costs.
From ACM TechNews
Google Redraws the Borders on Maps Depending on Who's Looking
Google and other online mapmakers revise borders depending on who is viewing them, in deference to diplomats, policymakers, and their own executives, according...
From ACM TechNews
Facebook, Google and Twitter Scramble to Stop Misinformation About Coronavirus
Facebook, Google, and Twitter are struggling to prevent misinformation on their platforms about the outbreak of the coronavirus.
From ACM TechNews
Pinterest Bans Misinformation About Voting, Census
The Pinterest platform has banned the posting of misleading information related to voting or the census.
From ACM TechNews