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


How a Gene Editing Tool Went From Labs to a Middle-School Classroom
From ACM News

How a Gene Editing Tool Went From Labs to a Middle-School Classroom

On a Saturday afternoon, 10 students gather at Genspace, a community lab in Brooklyn, to learn how to edit genes.

A Year After San Bernardino and Apple-Fbi, Where Are We on Encryption?
From ACM News

A Year After San Bernardino and Apple-Fbi, Where Are We on Encryption?

The debate over encryption and government access to secured communications dates decades back.

The Rise of the Drone, and the Thorny Questions that Have Followed
From ACM News

The Rise of the Drone, and the Thorny Questions that Have Followed

Today in the skies over New Mexico, Air Force students are practicing for the kill.

Robot-Like Machines Helped People with Spinal Injuries Regain Function
From ACM News

Robot-Like Machines Helped People with Spinal Injuries Regain Function

Researchers in Brazil who are trying to help people with spine injuries gain mobility have made a surprising discovery: Injured people doing brain training while...

In Wake of Shootings, Facebook Struggles to Define Hate Speech
From ACM News

In Wake of Shootings, Facebook Struggles to Define Hate Speech

In the wake of last week's shootings, Facebook has seen a significant spike in flagged content, with users calling out each other's posts as racist, violent and...

A Computer Binge-Watched Tv and Learned to Predict What Happens Next
From ACM News

A Computer Binge-Watched Tv and Learned to Predict What Happens Next

You watch hundreds of hours of television, they call you a lazy slob. A computer does it, and it's a technological success story.

New Genetic Engineering Method Called Promising — And Perilous
From ACM News

New Genetic Engineering Method Called Promising — And Perilous

A powerful new technique for changing genes in insects, animals and plants holds great promise, according to a report from an influential panel of scientists released...

After Moore's Law: Predicting The Future Beyond Silicon Chips
From ACM Opinion

After Moore's Law: Predicting The Future Beyond Silicon Chips

For several decades now, Georgia Tech professor Tom Conte has been studying how to improve computers: "How do we make them faster and more efficient next time around...

Not Just Bitcoin: Why the Blockchain Is a Seductive Technology to Many Industries
From ACM News

Not Just Bitcoin: Why the Blockchain Is a Seductive Technology to Many Industries

If you've ever run a business, whether it's an ice cream shop or a Fortune 500 company, then you've probably kept a ledger.

Rules For Cyberwarfare Still ­nclear, Even as ­.s. Engages In It
From ACM News

Rules For Cyberwarfare Still ­nclear, Even as ­.s. Engages In It

When Defense Secretary Ashton Carter landed in Iraq for a surprise visit this week, he came armed with this news: More than 200 additional U.S. troops are headed...

Attention Students: Put Your Laptops Away
From ACM Careers

Attention Students: Put Your Laptops Away

As laptops become smaller and more ubiquitous, and with the advent of tablets, the idea of taking notes by hand just seems old-fashioned to many students today.

Software Flags 'Suicidal' Students, Presenting Privacy Dilemma
From ACM News

Software Flags 'Suicidal' Students, Presenting Privacy Dilemma

Ken Yeh is the director of technology at Ontario Christian Schools, a private K-12 school near Los Angeles with about 100 children per grade.

At Supreme Court, Debate Over Phone Privacy Has A Long History
From ACM News

At Supreme Court, Debate Over Phone Privacy Has A Long History

Underlying the debate over Apple's refusal to help the FBI unlock the iPhone of San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook is the idea that cellphones hold the most...

Advertising Company Will ­se Its Billboards To Track Passing Cellphones
From ACM News

Advertising Company Will ­se Its Billboards To Track Passing Cellphones

Clear Channel Outdoor—one of the largest outdoor advertising companies in the U.S.—is starting a new program called Radar that will use billboards to map real-world...

In Fighting FBI, Apple Says Free Speech Rights Mean No Forced Coding
From ACM News

In Fighting FBI, Apple Says Free Speech Rights Mean No Forced Coding

The Justice Department wants Apple to write special software to help it break into the iPhone used by one the San Bernardino terrorists.

Should Self-Driving Cars Have Drivers Ready to Take Over?
From ACM News

Should Self-Driving Cars Have Drivers Ready to Take Over?

The day when you'll be chauffeured to work by your car may not be far off.

The President Wants Every Student to Learn Computer Science. How Would That Work?
From ACM News

The President Wants Every Student to Learn Computer Science. How Would That Work?

President Obama used his final State of the Union address Tuesday night to reflect on his legacy. But he also put forth some specific proposals for his remaining...

Machines, Lost in Translation: The Dream of ­Universal ­Understanding
From ACM News

Machines, Lost in Translation: The Dream of ­Universal ­Understanding

It was early 1954 when computer scientists, for the first time, publicly revealed a machine that could translate between human languages. It became known as the...

China's Internet Forum May Provide a Peek at Its Cyber-Ambitions
From ACM News

China's Internet Forum May Provide a Peek at Its Cyber-Ambitions

Heads of state, including the prime ministers of Pakistan and Russia, and major technology firms will gather Wednesday in Wuzhen, a picturesque little town of canals...

What Can—or Should—internet Companies Do to Fight Terrorism?
From ACM News

What Can—or Should—internet Companies Do to Fight Terrorism?

After the recent attacks in Paris and in San Bernardino, Calif., social media platforms are under pressure from politicians to do more to take down messages and...
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