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
The Coming Political Battle Over Bitcoin
Given that Bitcoin first broke into mainstream attention when Gawker explained how to use it to buy drugs, perhaps the surprise is that it took federal regulators...
From ACM Opinion
Hear Ye, Future Deep Throats: This Is How to Leak to the Press
We now live in a world where public servants informing the public about government behavior or wrongdoing must practice the tradecraft of drug dealers and spies...
From ACM Opinion
Ok, Glass, Don't Make Me Look Stupid
A man sitting alone at his kitchen table pauses before eating his breakfast.
From ACM Opinion
New Android Boss Finally Reveals Plans For World's Most Popular Mobile Os
For the past few years, Sundar Pichai has been part of a tag-team routine staged at Google's annual I/O developer conference.
From ACM Opinion
Tedxstanford Highlights Breakthroughs in Research and Creativity, Stanford-Style
They sacrificed a spectacular sunny Saturday afternoon by the hundreds, forgoing all else to sit in a darkened hall to witness hours of intense lectures and art...
From ACM Opinion
Why Teaching a Robot to Fetch a Cup of Coffee Matters
In robotics, as in life, it often takes small steps to reach a big goal.
From ACM Opinion
Sorry, College Grads, I Probably Won't Hire You
Dear college graduates: The next month is going to be thrilling as you cross this major milestone in your education.
From ACM Opinion
Nicole Ozer, Tech Policy Director For Aclu of Northern California
If you think you're hearing about privacy all the time, you're probably right.
From ACM Opinion
4 Big Problems with Social Security Numbers
A Social Security number is like a skeleton key, able to unlock a kingdom of untold riches for identity thieves.
From ACM Opinion
Sal Khan: 'i Love Learning'
"If there was a Ph.D. in learning everything, I would do that," the always-enthusiastic Sal Khan '98, MEng '98 said in a talk Wednesday at MIT's Kresge Auditorium...
From ACM Opinion
What Is the Syrian Electronic Army Trying to Accomplish, Anyway?
In June 2011, just a few short months after protests first erupted in Syria, the country's president, Bashar Al-Assad, made a speech in which he thanked a group...
From ACM Opinion
Syrian Electronic Army Hacks Israel's Main Infrastructure Control System
The Syrian Electronic Army launched a successful cyberattack on the main infrastructure system of Haifa, one of the most important ports in Israel, disrupting the...
From ACM News
Is Massively Open Online Education a Threat or a Blessing?
In fall 2011, Sebastian Thrun, a research professor at Stanford, and Peter Norvig, the top scientist at Google, teamed up to develop and teach a free, online course...
From ACM Opinion
Measuring the Benefits of Tech Tools
When I was a young reporter we could not afford cellphones.
From ACM Opinion
Apple: An End to Skeuomorphic Design?
Why do most smartphones make a clicking noise, like a camera shutter closing, when you take a picture with them? Why do the virtual pages of a book on a tablet...
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.
From ACM Opinion
Stephen Wolfram on Personal Analytics
Don't be surprised if Stephen Wolfram, the renowned complexity theorist, software company CEO, and night owl, wants to schedule a work call with you at 9 p.m. In...
From ACM Careers
Netflix, Reed Hastings Survive Missteps to Join Silicon Valley's Elite
On a normal weeknight, Netflix accounts for almost a third of all Internet traffic entering North American homes. That's more than YouTube, Hulu, Amazon.com, HBO...
From ACM Opinion
The Man Behind the Google Brain: Andrew Ng and the Quest For the New AI
There's a theory that human intelligence stems from a single algorithm.
From ACM Opinion