acm-header
Sign In

Communications of the ACM

Recent Articles


bg-corner

Is High-Tech Security at Public Events Counterproductive?
From ACM Opinion

Is High-Tech Security at Public Events Counterproductive?

Which is more intrusive: security screening and metal detectors every few blocks, or a drone flying high above it taking video of every little thing you do?

The Greatest Trick the Government Ever Pulled Was Convincing the Public the 'hacker Threat' Exists
From ACM Opinion

The Greatest Trick the Government Ever Pulled Was Convincing the Public the 'hacker Threat' Exists

The U.S. government is already fighting wars on several fronts, including the perpetual War on Terror.

Bitcoin: Whatever It Is, It's Not Money!
From ACM Opinion

Bitcoin: Whatever It Is, It's Not Money!

When governments undermine faith in their currencies people turn to alternatives.

Name-Brand Genes: Is Our Genetic Makeup What's Next in Personal Branding?
From ACM Opinion

Name-Brand Genes: Is Our Genetic Makeup What's Next in Personal Branding?

The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in a case that could decide whether it's possible to patent specific human genes that have been "snipped" out of our DNA...

Proceed with Caution Toward the Self-Driving Car
From ACM Opinion

Proceed with Caution Toward the Self-Driving Car

Driving on Interstate 495 toward Boston in a Ford Fusion one chilly afternoon in March, I did something that would've made even my laid-back long-ago driving instructor...

Should We Fall Out of Love with Robot Surgery?
From ACM Opinion

Should We Fall Out of Love with Robot Surgery?

Last fall, shoppers outside a Macy's store in Boston were given a chance to test drive a robot. They were invited, compliments of Brigham and Women’s Hospital,...

More Cracks ­ndermine the Citadel of Tv Profits
From ACM Opinion

More Cracks ­ndermine the Citadel of Tv Profits

For the longest time in the media business, the concept of the bundle has been foundational.

Immigration and the Knowledge Economy
From ACM Opinion

Immigration and the Knowledge Economy

Earlier this year I started teaching a class on entrepreneurship at an after-school program in my community.

Bitcoin Is No Longer a Currency
From ACM Opinion

Bitcoin Is No Longer a Currency

Bitcoin might be a bubble or it might be THE FUTURE, but there's one thing it's not: a currency. It's a tech stock. The question is whether it's Pets.com or Paypal...

Will Bitcoins Make Me Rich?
From ACM Opinion

Will Bitcoins Make Me Rich?

Let me begin this column with a lengthy disclosure. One morning last week, I stopped at my bank, filled out a withdrawal slip for $1,027.51, and walked away with...

If You Hate Red-Light Cameras, You'll Really Hate Speeding Ticket Robots
From ACM Opinion

If You Hate Red-Light Cameras, You'll Really Hate Speeding Ticket Robots

Four academics from West Point and Samford University in Alabama set out to answer a seemingly simple question: how would one write a computer program to issue...

Intel Cooks ­p Future of TV—A Potential Mess for Cable
From ACM Opinion

Intel Cooks ­p Future of TV—A Potential Mess for Cable

Visualize the TV service you've always wanted: a gorgeous interface that does away with clunky (and often ad-strewn) programming grids; a simple remote that isn't...

Cyber Education Key to Security
From ACM Opinion

Cyber Education Key to Security

Today, cyberspace is woven into the fabric of our daily lives.

Twitter, Hate Speech, and the Costs of Keeping Quiet
From ACM Opinion

Twitter, Hate Speech, and the Costs of Keeping Quiet

Last month was a bittersweet seventh birthday for Twitter.

The Future of Surveillance Will Turn Society Into a Massive Online Game
From ACM Opinion

The Future of Surveillance Will Turn Society Into a Massive Online Game

No matter what the future may contain, one thing is certain: just about everything in it, including us, will increasingly be under surveillance.

Yes, You Should Care About Bitcoin, and Here's Why
From ACM Opinion

Yes, You Should Care About Bitcoin, and Here's Why

Everybody's talking about Bitcoin these days, which is quite remarkable given the highly technical nature of the crypto-currency. So why is it such a big deal?

Save a Soccer Referee. Hire a Machine to Rule on Goals.
From ACM Opinion

Save a Soccer Referee. Hire a Machine to Rule on Goals.

Referees are the worst. Anyone who plays, coaches, or watches sports will agree. They call either too little or too much. They're blind, stupid, paid off, or just...

The Bitcoin Bubble and the Future of Currency
From ACM Opinion

The Bitcoin Bubble and the Future of Currency

A few days ago, the value of all the bitcoins in the world blew past $1 billion for the first time ever. That’s an impressive achievement, for a purely virtual...

You'll Never Believe the Data 'wiped' Smartphones Store
From ACM Opinion

You'll Never Believe the Data 'wiped' Smartphones Store

Few things are more precious, intimate, and personal than the data on your smartphone.

Bitcoin May Be the Global Economy's Last Safe Haven
From ACM News

Bitcoin May Be the Global Economy's Last Safe Haven

One of the oddest bits of news to emerge from the economic collapse of Cyprus is a corresponding rise in the value of Bitcoin, the Internet’s favorite, media-friendly...
Sign In for Full Access
» Forgot Password? » Create an ACM Web Account