Communications of the ACM
Generative AI Degrades Online Communities
How large language models are influencing online communities.
From ACM Opinion
No, Microwave Ovens Cannot Spy on You, For Lots of Reasons
If you've been feeling a little paranoid lately—like even your standing mixer may be spying on you—rest assured that Trump senior counselor Kellyanne Conway shares...
From ACM Opinion
I'm Marching to Fight the Alarming War on Science. Join Me
Two new public marches and demonstrations focused on science and climate change have been scheduled for April. I plan to be at both.
From ACM Opinion
Boston Dynamics' New Rolling, Leaping Robot Is an Evolutionary Marvel
If you're ever feeling down, do yourself a favor and watch some footage from the 2015 Darpa Robotics Challenge.
From ACM Opinion
Face It, Meatsack: Pro Gamer Will Be the Only Job Left
Look at economic data closely and the trends aren't pretty: People with elite backgrounds are hoovering up an increasing share of new income and wealth.
From ACM Opinion
The AI Threat Isn't Skynet. It's the End of the Middle Class
In February 1975, a group of geneticists gathered in a tiny town on the central coast of California to decide if their work would bring about the end of the world...
From ACM Opinion
Lady Gaga's Halftime Show Drones Have a Bright Future
The best Super Bowl halftime shows leave indelible memories, be it a notorious wardrobe malfunction, that goofy Left Shark, or every last second of Beyoncé's two...
From ACM Opinion
Connected Devices Give Spies a Powerful New Way to Surveil
There is little doubt that the web is the greatest gift that any intelligence agency could have ever asked for.
From ACM Opinion
Here's What Happens to Tech in 2017 (unless 2016 Was All a Dream)
What does 2017 hold for the world of tech and media?
From ACM Opinion
The Biggest Security Threats Coming in 2017
Whether it was a billion compromised Yahoo accounts or state-sponsored Russian hackers muscling in on the US election, this past year saw hacks of unprecedented...
From ACM Opinion
Dear Mr. Trump: To 'cyber' Better, Try the Blockchain
A massive distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack took several high-profile websites—Twitter, Amazon, the New York Times, even WIRED—offline in October.
From ACM Opinion
Trump’s Win Signals Open Season for Russia's Political Hackers
Yesterday, America elected as president the apparently preferred candidate of Russia's intelligence agencies.
From ACM Opinion
It's Finally Legal To Hack Your Own Devices (even Your Car)
You may have thought that if you owned your digital devices, you were allowed to do whatever you like with them.
From ACM Opinion
Hey Silicon Valley: President Obama Has a To-Do List For You
Ask not what the government can do for Silicon Valley; ask what Silicon Valley can do for the government.
From ACM Opinion
Dwarf Planets Aren't Big News, Because Astronomy Is Doing a Great Job
Last week, astronomers announced the discovery of DeeDee, a possible dwarf planet. That name—dwarf planet—means it is like Pluto: Massive enough to assume a spherical...
From ACM Opinion
An Ode to the Rosetta Spacecraft as It Flings Itself Into a Comet
Today, the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft will engage its thrusters for one final maneuver: a suicidal plunge toward the comet it has been orbiting...
From ACM Opinion
The Feds Will Soon Be Able to Legally Hack Almost Anyone
Digital devices and software programs are complicated. Behind the pointing and clicking on screen are thousands of processes and routines that make everything work...
From ACM Opinion
The Next President Will Decide the Fate of Killer Robots, and the Future of War
The next president will have a range of issues on their plate, from how to deal with growing tensions with China and Russia, to an ongoing war against ISIS.
From ACM Opinion
At 25, the World Wide Web Is Still a Long Way From Reality
Twenty-five years ago today, Tim Berners-Lee unleashed the World Wide Web, publishing the first public webpage. Well, maybe.
From ACM Opinion
The Doom of Your Memories Doesn't Really Exist
If you played Doom during its heyday in the 90s, I have some disappointing news: it's not as frightening as you remember.
From ACM Opinion