Communications of the ACM
The opinion archive provides access to past opinion stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
July 2021
From ACM Opinion
What Do Developers Want and Need from Secure Coding Training?
There is still confusion about the role developers play in software security
From ACM Opinion
Computational Sustainability Meets Materials Science
Exploiting synergies between the disciplines advances both fields and can help establish a sustainable future.
From ACM Opinion
Big Tech Has Outgrown This Planet
The gap keeps widening between the super-rich tech superstars and the merely super. There's one possible explanation.
From ACM Opinion
Biden's 'Antitrust Revolution' Overlooks AI—at Americans' Peril
A handful of companies have outsize influence on the world's AI. Policymakers must act now to stem the rise of powerful monopolies.
From ACM Opinion
But Is the Code (Re)usable?
It is crucial to guarantee the reproducibility of reported results, but don't forget to make research artifacts reusable for the scientific community
From ACM Opinion
How to Create Successful Developer Products
Interested in building software for developers? Follow these three design principles from Akita Software CEO Jean Yang.
From ACM Opinion
The Crackdown in China Is a Hot Mess, and It's Coming for Us
Recent moves by the Chinese government against tech companies represent a terrifying government action.
From ACM Opinion
Governing AI Safety through Independent Audits
Governance of highly automated systems is critical to garner widespread public trust
From ACM Opinion
Oh No…Mark Zuckerberg Wants to Build a Metaverse
The concept of a metaverse is intriguing, but I don't want Facebook to build it
From ACM Opinion
How Higher Ed Can Win at Tech Offense and Defense
To live in a world that is enhanced rather than oppressed by technology, we need to change its culture from one of opportunism to one in the public interest
From ACM Opinion
Wait, There's Supposed to Be a Gadget Repair Market?
A new FTC policy is a warning to companies that glue together smartphones so they can't be opened, charge exorbitant fees for replacement parts, or limit who can fix a device.
From ACM Opinion
Mark in the Metaverse
Facebook's CEO on why the social network is becoming 'a metaverse company.'
From ACM Opinion
Artificial Intelligence and the Intelligence Community
The intelligence community's budget and acquisition processes rise to the top of the issues it must address before it can take full advantage of AI
From ACM Opinion
Why 90% of Machine-Learning Models Never Hit the Market
Most companies lack leadership support, effective communication between teams, and accessible data
From ACM Opinion
Why You Should Care About Your Right to Repair Gadgets
New legislation could simplify tech maintenance and make buying a new smartphone or computer the last resort.
From ACM Opinion
Why Business and Academia Need Each Other for Better AI
The best way to accelerate innovation is through cooperation between academics and business.
From ACM Opinion
BBC Interviewer Found Himself on a Sticky Wicket With Google CEO
Amol Rajan's questioning failed to get behind the defenses of Sundar Pichai's 'nice guy' media image.
From ACM Opinion
With Internet Shutdowns, India Is Violating a 'Duty to Memory'
The shutdowns, aimed at quelling unrest, undercut the nation's moral and ethical obligation to record history as it is.
From ACM Opinion
The Computer Scientist Training AI to Think With Analogies
Digital minds will never truly be like ours until they can make analogies.
From ACM Opinion
The U.S. Needs to Get Back in the Business of Making Chips
Pandemic-induced supply disruptions and competition from China pressuring U.S. companies to manufacture semiconductors at home.
From ACM Opinion
Behind the Scenes: A Day in the Life of a Freelance JavaScript Developer
Being a developer requires more than just being good at coding. Here's how one full-stack developer gets the job done.
From ACM Opinion
Improving Code Quality and Penetration Testing With DAST
Dynamic application security testing can provide developers with meaningful feedback loops.
From ACM Opinion
Is the U.S. Labor Shortage the Big Break AI Needs?
Companies experiencing labor shortages should consider where AI can make their employees' lives better and easier.
From ACM Opinion
The Assault on Our Privacy Is Being Conducted in Private
The rise of social media, Google, and online shopping and banking has made us far more exposed than back in the Internet’s infancy.
From ACM Opinion
The Importance of STEM Education Goes Beyond Building a Workforce
STEM education researcher Cornelia Connolly speaks to the invaluable nature of computer science education, diversity, and equality.
From ACM Opinion
Everyone Should Decide How Their Digital Data Is Used—Not Just Tech Cos.
Smartphones, sensors, and consumer habits reveal much about society. Too few people have a say in how the data is created and used.
From ACM Opinion
FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter: Why Today's Data Privacy Approaches Don't Work
The era of the Federal Trade Commission being dismissed as having some bark and little bite appears to be over.
From ACM Opinion
We Need Remote Work for Everyone
The ability to work online shouldn't be a nice-to-have for a select few, but an option for all.
From ACM Opinion
Why Machine Learning Can't Understand Human Language
While larger deep neural networks can incrementally improveme specific tasks, they aren't fit for general natural language understanding.
From ACM Opinion
Kubernetes Magic Is in Enterprise Standardization, Not App Portability
Kubernetes isn't going to magically make your applications portable, but it just might give you something even better.