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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.


In Nevada, Last-Minute Scramble to Make Voting Tech Work
From ACM TechNews

In Nevada, Last-Minute Scramble to Make Voting Tech Work

Nevada's Democratic Party hopes to avoid the fiasco seen in Iowa when it holds its caucuses Saturday with an in-house electronic voting system that it had to assemble...

Activate 'Bracelet of Silence' and Alexa Can't Eavesdrop
From ACM TechNews

Activate 'Bracelet of Silence' and Alexa Can't Eavesdrop

A prototype wearable device blocks microphones in the vicinity from eavesdropping on conversations.

New Mexico Sues Google Over Children’s Privacy Violations
From ACM News

New Mexico Sues Google Over Children’s Privacy Violations

The lawsuit says that Google, the top tech brand in public schools, used its educational products to spy on students.

China is Using Mass Surveillance Tech to Fight Coronavirus Spread
From ACM TechNews

China is Using Mass Surveillance Tech to Fight Coronavirus Spread

The Chinese government is working with technology companies to monitor citizens and track confirmed cases of people infected with the coronavirus.

Google Redraws the Borders on Maps Depending on Who's Looking
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...

Ransomware Attacks Grow, Crippling Cities, Businesses
From ACM TechNews

Ransomware Attacks Grow, Crippling Cities, Businesses

In recent years, ransomware attacks have crippled computer networks and extorted money to restore access to users.

This Could be Microsoft's Most Important Product in 2020. If It Works...
From ACM News

This Could be Microsoft's Most Important Product in 2020. If It Works...

ElectionGuard isn't designed to make voting machines safe from hackers. It's meant to make hacking them pointless.

Texas Man Close to Exoneration After Algorithm Leads to New Suspect
From ACM TechNews

Texas Man Close to Exoneration After Algorithm Leads to New Suspect

A man convicted for murder is on track to have his conviction overturned, thanks to an algorithm that reanalyzed DNA and pointed to a new suspect. 

Britain to Create Regulator for Internet Content
From ACM TechNews

Britain to Create Regulator for Internet Content

The U.K. has introduced a plan to give the country's media regulator Ofcom new responsibilities for monitoring Internet content.

Researchers Have Already Tested YouTube’s Algorithms for Political Bias
From ACM News

Researchers Have Already Tested YouTube’s Algorithms for Political Bias

More moderation associated with more hate speech and misinformation, not politics.

Data Driving New Approaches to Transportation
From ACM TechNews

Data Driving New Approaches to Transportation

Shifts in transportation highlight cities' need for data management to cope with traffic, digital platforms, and other trends.

Mac Software Threats Climbed 400% in 2019, More Than Microsoft Windows, Report Says
From ACM TechNews

Mac Software Threats Climbed 400% in 2019, More Than Microsoft Windows, Report Says

A report from cybersecurity company Malwarebytes concluded that Mac computers are more vulnerable to software threats than Microsoft Windows systems.

An Algorithm That Grants Freedom, or Takes It Away
From ACM TechNews

An Algorithm That Grants Freedom, or Takes It Away

Local authorities in the U.S. and Europe use predictive governance algorithms to assess people's risk of criminality, and base probation, jail time, and other decisions...

The End of Internet Freedom?
From ACM News

The End of Internet Freedom?

Russia and other countries are turning to more stringent Internet controls that threaten the free flow of information.

Brazil Takes a Page From China, Taps Facial Recognition to Solve Crime
From ACM TechNews

Brazil Takes a Page From China, Taps Facial Recognition to Solve Crime

Brazil is following China's example and adopting facial-recognition technology to crack down on crime. 

The Top 10 Software Flaws Used by Crooks
From ACM TechNews

The Top 10 Software Flaws Used by Crooks

Researchers at cybersecurity firm Recorded Future report that eight of the top 10 software flaws most commonly exploited last year were associated with Microsoft...

FAA Moves Toward Certifying Specific Drones for Package Deliveries
From ACM TechNews

FAA Moves Toward Certifying Specific Drones for Package Deliveries

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has proposed new safety standards for specific unmanned-aircraft models, a significant step toward eventually authorizing...

Facebook to Pay $550M to Settle Facial Recognition Suit
From ACM TechNews

Facebook to Pay $550M to Settle Facial Recognition Suit

Facebook has agreed to play $550 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over its use of facial recognition technology in Illinois.

Pinterest Bans Misinformation About Voting, Census
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.

The Secret History of Facial Recognition
From ACM News

The Secret History of Facial Recognition

Sixty years ago, a sharecropper's son invented a technology to identify faces. Then the record of his role all but vanished.
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