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If Killer Robots Arrive, the Terminator Will Be the Least of Our Problems
From ACM Opinion

If Killer Robots Arrive, the Terminator Will Be the Least of Our Problems

Autonomous weapons experts sounded the alarm last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, cautioning that unless governments act to limit these...

Power Wars: How Obama Justified, Expanded Bush-Era Surveillance
From ACM Opinion

Power Wars: How Obama Justified, Expanded Bush-Era Surveillance

Over the winter holidays, I took some well-needed time offline, away from e-mail and social media.

Having a Conversation About Bulk Surveillance
From Communications of the ACM

Having a Conversation About Bulk Surveillance

Considering a controversial subject that extends far beyond the collection of phone metadata.

Lessons from the Tech Transfer Trenches
From Communications of the ACM

Lessons from the Tech Transfer Trenches

Moving from the research realm to real-world business application.

Code Hoarding
From Communications of the ACM

Code Hoarding

Committing to commits, and the beauty of summarizing graphs.

Broadening Access to Computing Education State By State
From Communications of the ACM

Broadening Access to Computing Education State By State

Influencing computer science education at the state level.

Privacy Research Directions
From Communications of the ACM

Privacy Research Directions

What must we learn in order to support privacy requirements as technology advances?

The Case For Looking to the States, Not the Federal Government, to Protect Your Privacy
From ACM Opinion

The Case For Looking to the States, Not the Federal Government, to Protect Your Privacy

A year ago, President Obama stood behind a podium at the Federal Trade Commission and called for legislation that would set a single national standard for when...

Forget Ai—the Human-Friendly Future of Computing Is Already Here
From ACM Opinion

Forget Ai—the Human-Friendly Future of Computing Is Already Here

For many of us, the concept of artificial intelligence conjures up visions of a machine-dominated world, where humans are servants to the devices they created.

5 Big Changes Coming to Social Media in 2016
From ACM Opinion

5 Big Changes Coming to Social Media in 2016

It's been a memorable year in social media. 2015 saw the birth of live social streaming, with apps like Periscope and Meerkat winning over early adopters.

Tech's 'frightful 5' Will Dominate Digital Life For Foreseeable Future
From ACM Opinion

Tech's 'frightful 5' Will Dominate Digital Life For Foreseeable Future

There's a little parlor game that people in Silicon Valley like to play. Let's call it, Who's Losing?

'crispr' Breaks Out Of the Lab
From ACM Opinion

'crispr' Breaks Out Of the Lab

A new gene-editing technology has been relentlessly hyped over the past year, and it goes by a catchy if rather incongruous acronym: Crispr.

What Makes a 'smart Gun' Smart?
From ACM Opinion

What Makes a 'smart Gun' Smart?

Every time a toddler accidentally shoots a friend or family member, a teen kills himself via gunshot or a shooter perpetrates an act of mass violence, public discussion...

2015 Was the Best Year Ever in Space
From ACM Opinion

2015 Was the Best Year Ever in Space

With 2015 now behind us, what truly stands out?

Why It's So Hard For Washington to Draft Tech Companies Against the Islamic State
From ACM Opinion

Why It's So Hard For Washington to Draft Tech Companies Against the Islamic State

Here's the basic problem the government faces when it comes to stopping the Islamic State's Internet propaganda: It needs Silicon Valley's help. But some tech companies—even...

In 2016, Terror Suspects and 7-Eleven Thieves May Bring Surveillance to Supreme Court
From ACM Opinion

In 2016, Terror Suspects and 7-Eleven Thieves May Bring Surveillance to Supreme Court

It has now been 2.5 years since the first Snowden revelations were published. And in 2015, government surveillance marched on in both large (the National Security...

If There Are Aliens Out There, Where Are They?
From ACM Opinion

If There Are Aliens Out There, Where Are They?

Physicist Enrico Fermi famously asked the question "Where are they?" to express his surprise over the absence of any signs for the existence of other intelligent...

Political Gifs Are the New Sound Bites This Campaign Season
From ACM Opinion

Political Gifs Are the New Sound Bites This Campaign Season

Every few decades, a piece of technology comes along that alters political campaigning.

In 2015, Promising Surveillance Cases Ran Into Legal Brick Walls
From ACM Opinion

In 2015, Promising Surveillance Cases Ran Into Legal Brick Walls

Today, the first Snowden disclosures in 2013 feel like a distant memory.

Security's Biggest Winners and Losers in 2015
From ACM Opinion

Security's Biggest Winners and Losers in 2015

This year, lawmakers surprised us by taking initial steps—albeit, baby ones—to rein in some of the NSA's mass spying and provide better oversight of the intelligence...
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