acm-header
Sign In

Communications of the ACM

News


Latest News News Archive Refine your search:
subjectComputers And Society
authorArs Technica
bg-corner

An edited collection of advanced computing news from Communications of the ACM, ACM TechNews, other ACM resources, and news sites around the Web.


If Software Looks Like a Brain and Acts Like a Brain—will We Treat It Like One?
From ACM News

If Software Looks Like a Brain and Acts Like a Brain—will We Treat It Like One?

Long the domain of science fiction, researchers are now working to create software that perfectly models human and animal brains.

Washington Lawmakers Want Computer Science to Count as Foreign Language
From ACM Careers

Washington Lawmakers Want Computer Science to Count as Foreign Language

Two Washington state legislators have recently introduced a bill that would allow computer science class (e.g., programming) to effectively count as a foreign language...

Don't Call Them 'utility' Rules: The Fcc's Net Neutrality Regime, Explained
From ACM News

Don't Call Them 'utility' Rules: The Fcc's Net Neutrality Regime, Explained

Within a few weeks we’ll have a huge document full of legalese on the Federal Communications Commission’s net neutrality rules, to replace the near-200-page ...

Cops Get Handheld Radar that Can 'detect People Breathing' Through Walls
From ACM News

Cops Get Handheld Radar that Can 'detect People Breathing' Through Walls

At least 50 local law enforcement agencies—and the United States Marshals—have acquired a type of handheld radar that allows cops to scan through walls to detect...

Snowden: ­.s. Has Put Too Much Emphasis on Cyber-Offense, Needs Defense
From ACM News

Snowden: ­.s. Has Put Too Much Emphasis on Cyber-Offense, Needs Defense

In an on-camera interview with James Bamford for an upcoming episode of PBS' NOVA, Edward Snowden warned that the U.S. Department of Defense and National Security...

Fbi Says Search Warrants Not Needed to Use 'stingrays' in Public Places
From ACM News

Fbi Says Search Warrants Not Needed to Use 'stingrays' in Public Places

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is taking the position that court warrants are not required when deploying cell-site simulators in public places.

Baer's Odyssey: Meet the Serial Inventor Who Built the World's First Game Console
From ACM Opinion

Baer's Odyssey: Meet the Serial Inventor Who Built the World's First Game Console

Even if you're a devoted fan of video games, there's a decent chance you're not familiar with the name Ralph H. Baer.

One Arrow of Time to Rule Them All?
From ACM News

One Arrow of Time to Rule Them All?

Time is something we're all very aware of.

Beyond Gaming, the Vr Boom Is Everywhere—from Classrooms to Therapy Couches
From ACM News

Beyond Gaming, the Vr Boom Is Everywhere—from Classrooms to Therapy Couches

When Oculus almost single-handedly revived the idea of virtual reality from its '90s vaporware grave, it chose the 2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo as the place...

Prepare For the Part-Time Self-Driving Car
From ACM News

Prepare For the Part-Time Self-Driving Car

Self-driving AI cars have been a staple in popular culture for some time—any child of the 1980s will fondly remember both the Autobots and Knight Rider's KITT—but...

Julian Assange on Snowden, Disliking Google, and His 'inevitable' Freedom
From ACM Opinion

Julian Assange on Snowden, Disliking Google, and His 'inevitable' Freedom

It would be too much to say that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange feels optimistic.

Air Force Research: How to ­se Social Media to Control People Like Drones
From ACM News

Air Force Research: How to ­se Social Media to Control People Like Drones

Facebook isn't the only organization conducting research into how attitudes are affected by social media.

Quantum State May Be a Real Thing
From ACM News

Quantum State May Be a Real Thing

At the very heart of quantum mechanics lies a monster waiting to consume unwary minds.

Massachusetts High Court Orders Suspect to Decrypt His Computers
From ACM News

Massachusetts High Court Orders Suspect to Decrypt His Computers

Massachusetts' top court ruled, in a 5-2 decision on Wednesday, that a criminal suspect can be ordered to decrypt his seized computer.

Scotus to Weigh In on When Online Rants Become Criminal Threats
From ACM News

Scotus to Weigh In on When Online Rants Become Criminal Threats

The US Supreme Court on Monday announced that it will consider a case involving a thorny free speech issue in the digital age: at what point does a statement made...

Supreme Court Weighing When Online Speech Becomes Illegal Threat
From ACM News

Supreme Court Weighing When Online Speech Becomes Illegal Threat

When does an online threat become worthy of criminal prosecution?

As Human Laws Grapple with Robots, There Are No Easy Answers
From ACM News

As Human Laws Grapple with Robots, There Are No Easy Answers

There's been a lot of buzz about robots lately.

Government Wants You to Broadcast Your Driving Data—Eventually
From ACM News

Government Wants You to Broadcast Your Driving Data—Eventually

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that it's finally ready to consider regulations that...

10 years of Opportunity: Celebrating the Rover’s Role on Mars and Earth
From ACM News

10 years of Opportunity: Celebrating the Rover’s Role on Mars and Earth

On January 25, 2004, a strange object fell out of the sky on a distant planet—and when it hit the surface, it started to bounce.

How the Nsa (may Have) Put a Backdoor in Rsa's Cryptography: A Technical Primer
From ACM News

How the Nsa (may Have) Put a Backdoor in Rsa's Cryptography: A Technical Primer

There has been a lot of news lately about nefarious-sounding backdoors being inserted into cryptographic standards and toolkits.
Sign In for Full Access
» Forgot Password? » Create an ACM Web Account