Communications of the ACM
Innovation Is Overrated: A Provocation
Digital innovation is not working in the interest of the whole of society. It is time to radically rethink its purpose without…
From ACM Opinion
Don't Let Statistics Ruin Baseball
One of the charms of baseball, which started up again this week, is the exhilarating departure it offers from the noisy bustle of daily life.
From ACM Opinion
Here's Google's Secret to Hiring the Best People
"You never get a second chance to make a first impression" was the tagline for a Head & Shoulders shampoo ad campaign in the 1980s. It unfortunately encapsulates...
From ACM Opinion
Hbo's John Oliver Hits Snowden Hard on Nsa Leaks
Edward Snowden and an unlikely interviewer squared-off on HBO over the leaks that exposed the National Security Agency's extensive surveillance programs.
From ACM Opinion
Karen, an App That Knows You All Too Well
Thinking about a life coach but not ready to commit to the real thing?
From ACM Opinion
The Mobile Election: How Smartphones Will Change the 2016 Presidential Race
Four years ago today, President Barack Obama was gearing up to announce his reelection campaign, Mitt Romney was leading Newt Gingrich in the polls, and roughly...
From ACM Opinion
Even Computers Are nsure About Their March Madness Brackets
By this point of March Madness, with three games left in the men's NCAA basketball tournament, most brackets are busted.
From ACM Opinion
Is 'making a Game Out of Learning' Bad For Learning?
In MIT's Education Arcade, classic game consoles line the office corridor, rafters are strung with holiday lights, and inflatable, stuffed and papier-maché creatures...
From ACM Opinion
Toolkits For the Mind
When the Japanese computer scientist Yukihiro Matsumoto decided to create Ruby, a programming language that has helped build Twitter, Hulu, and much of the modern...
From ACM Opinion
A New Way to Navigate the Streets of Google Maps
Today we're introducing our most ambitious update yet: PAC-Maps.
From ACM Opinion
Modern Explorers Seek a Place in a Gps World
Eric Larsen seemed ill at ease in his tuxedo.
From ACM Opinion
Germanwings Flight 9525, Technology, and the Question of Trust
Shortly before the dreadful crash of Germanwings Flight 9525, I happened to be reading part of "The Second Machine Age," a book by two academics at M.I.T., Erik...
From ACM Opinion
First White House Data Chief Discusses His Top Priorities
Data science is not entirely new to Washington, D.C.—nor is DJ Patil, who was recently named as the U.S.'s first chief data scientist.
From ACM Opinion
David and Goliath: What Do We Do About Surveillance?
"Dear subscriber, you have been registered as a participant in a mass disturbance."
From ACM Opinion
Learning to See Data
For the past year or so genetic scientists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York have been collaborating with a specialist from another universe...
From ACM Opinion
How Facebook's Chief Geek Will Meld Reality with the Oculus
Facebook chief technology officer Mike Schroepfer turned 40 last month. He (just barely) blew out a row of 40 candles during a mini-celebration at company headquarters...
From ACM Opinion
How Technology Is Making S Tip More Than Ever
By now, you've probably experienced it: After grabbing a cup of espresso, buying some ice cream or taking a cab, you swipe your credit card and prepare to sign—but...
From ACM Opinion
Apple's Tim Cook Leads Different
Tim Cook assumed he was ready for the harsh glare that shines on Apple's CEO.
From ACM Opinion
Nsa Doesn't Need to Spy on Your Calls to Learn Your Secrets
Governments and corporations gather, store, and analyze the tremendous amount of data we chuff out as we move through our digitized lives.
From ACM Opinion
What If Web Search Results Were Based on Accuracy?
Imagine, for a moment, that every Web search gave only accurate, verified information.
From ACM Opinion