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Balancing Security and Liberty in the Age of Big Data
From ACM Opinion

Balancing Security and Liberty in the Age of Big Data

A very large Internet company once had the noble impulse to share some of its data with the research community.

From ACM Opinion

Blowing a Whistle

I'm glad I live in a country with people who are vigilant in defending civil liberties.

Fixing the Digital Economy
From ACM Opinion

Fixing the Digital Economy

Two big trends in the world appear to contradict each other.

Let's Rescue Metadata From the Spy Agencies
From ACM Opinion

Let's Rescue Metadata From the Spy Agencies

Once the civil libertarians have had their say, let's hope the really interesting questions start being asked.

Apple's New Mobile Os Is All About Ive
From ACM Opinion

Apple's New Mobile Os Is All About Ive

For Apple, there's a lot riding on iOS 7, the newest version of its mobile software and the first refresh overseen by veteran industrial design head Jonathan Ive...

Why Americans Don't Fear the Nsa
From ACM Opinion

Why Americans Don't Fear the Nsa

Cybersnooping was always scheduled to be an important topic during President Obama’s meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Who's Watching You? Not Just the Nsa.
From ACM Opinion

Who's Watching You? Not Just the Nsa.

While you were tweeting an Instagram of your home-cooked tikka masala last night, we learned that the National Security Agency (NSA) has been collecting data on...

As Facebook Grows ­p, Grand Ambitions Get Reality Check
From ACM Opinion

As Facebook Grows ­p, Grand Ambitions Get Reality Check

Facebook, which once seemed poised to take over the Internet, is showing its limitations: a host of newer services are gaining ground among trend-setting youth;...

Will Giving the Internet Eyes and Ears Mean the End of Privacy?
From ACM Opinion

Will Giving the Internet Eyes and Ears Mean the End of Privacy?

The Internet has turned into a massive surveillance tool.

At Google Conference, Cameras Even in the Bathroom
From ACM Opinion

At Google Conference, Cameras Even in the Bathroom

The future came crashing down on me this week at the Google I/O developer conference while I stood at a bathroom urinal.

A Multi-Screen and Conversational Search Experience
From ACM Opinion

A Multi-Screen and Conversational Search Experience

Search has always been about giving you the best answers quickly, regardless of what device you use.

Why Vertical Search Is Threatening Google's Reign
From ACM Opinion

Why Vertical Search Is Threatening Google's Reign

Until recently, Google has dominated search. It has been the main stomping ground for consumers looking to buy products, visit sites, or conduct research.

Why Fbi and CIA Didn't Connect the Dots
From ACM Opinion

Why Fbi and CIA Didn't Connect the Dots

The FBI and the CIA are being criticized for not keeping better track of Tamerlan Tsarnaev in the months before the Boston Marathon bombings.

Are All Telephone Calls Recorded and Accessible to the ­.s. Government?
From ACM Opinion

Are All Telephone Calls Recorded and Accessible to the ­.s. Government?

The real capabilities and behavior of the U.S. surveillance state are almost entirely unknown to the American public because, like most things of significance done...

The Dark Side of the Digital Revolution
From ACM Opinion

The Dark Side of the Digital Revolution

How do you explain to people that they are a YouTube sensation, when they have never heard of YouTube or the Internet?

We Need More Cameras, and We Need Them Now
From ACM Opinion

We Need More Cameras, and We Need Them Now

On Thursday afternoon, the FBI released photos and video of two persons of interest in the Boston Marathon bombing.

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?

From Touch Displays to the Surface: A Brief History of Touchscreen Technology
From ACM Opinion

From Touch Displays to the Surface: A Brief History of Touchscreen Technology

It's hard to believe that just a few decades ago, touchscreen technology could only be found in science fiction books and film. These days, it's almost unfathomable...

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.

The Promise and Perils of a Datafied World
From ACM Opinion

The Promise and Perils of a Datafied World

In a former life I was a research assistant. After painstaking weeks spent gathering data, I was tasked with putting the numbers into a statistics application that...
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