Communications of the ACM
The opinion archive provides access to past opinion stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
October 2021
From ACM Opinion
'Small Data' Is Also Crucial for Machine Learning
The most promising AI approach you've never heard of doesn't need to go big
From ACM Opinion
The Facebook Whistleblower Won't Change Anything
Whistleblowing keeps the limelight on one person instead of the movements already doing the work.
From ACM Opinion
Facebook Whistleblower Sophie Zhang Has a Message for the Tech Press, Too
Zhang came forward with allegations against Facebook long before Frances Haugen, so why has it taken so long for people to listen?
From ACM Opinion
Facebook Uses Deceptive Math to Hide Its Hate Speech Problem
The company claims its AI is amazing at removing harmful content, but internal documents suggest the algorithm is ineffective
From ACM Opinion
Pentagon Wants AI to Predict Events Before They Occur
AI-enabled platforms are expected to offer strategic warning of adversarial actions prior to any irreversible moves having been made
From ACM Opinion
Meta Learning and Model-Based Reinforcement Learning
Stanford professor Chelsea Finn talks about robotics and meta learning research
From ACM Opinion
How Congress' Parade of Tech Hearings Totally Lost the Plot
Political theater has replaced anything resembling achievement
From ACM Opinion
Why Robots Should Fear Death as Much as We Do
To gain full artificial general intelligence, perhaps machines need to fear their own mortality
From ACM Opinion
The FDA Should Better Regulate Medical Algorithms
Most do not require the agency's approval, and those that do often don't require clinical trial
From ACM Opinion
Which Crypto Platform Will Rule Them All?
Can Ethereum remain the crypto platform of choice for developers?
From ACM Opinion
Instagram Isn't the Only Social Media That's Hurting Girls
Researchers and reporters have been documenting social media's harmful effects on kids prior to whistleblower Frances Haugen's testimony
From ACM Opinion
Americans Need a Bill of Rights for an AI-Powered World
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is developing principles to guard against powerful technologies—with input from the public
From ACM Opinion
Supersized AIs: Are Truly Intelligent Machines Just a Matter of Scale?
Gigantic neural networks that write with remarkable fluency have led to suggestions that scaling up will usher in ultimately true machine intelligence
From ACM Opinion
The DOJ Wants Companies to Admit Their Cybersecurity Problems
Agency plans to use Civil War-era "Lincoln Law" to enforce cybersecurity disclosure
From ACM Opinion
The Challenges of Regulating Cryptocurrency
The S.E.C. has yet to set clear rules on cryptocurrencies, leaving the industry guessing. Maybe that's how the agency wants it.
From ACM Opinion
Will the Cloud Eat Your AI?
Big cloud providers have a lot going for them when it comes to AI, but are they the only game in town?
From ACM Opinion
Facebook Can't Be Saved
Whistleblower Frances Haugen told senators that Facebook shouldn't be broken up, but its problems are a direct consequence of its size.
From ACM Opinion
It's Time to Stop Paying for a VPN
Many services meant to protect your Web browsing can no longer be trusted
From ACM Opinion
Losing Facebook Is Bad, but Losing WhatsApp Is Worse
What happens when you lose the encrypted messaging app everyone uses?
From ACM Opinion
Amazon Should Invent With Care
Amazon's spirit of invention is refreshing, but technologists must think through the consequences.
From ACM Opinion
Big Tech's Congressional Circus Rolls On
The Congressional response to Big Tech continues to underwhelm
From Communications of the ACM
Section 230 and a Tragedy of the Commons
The dilemma of social media platforms.
From Communications of the ACM
Broadening Participation by Teaching Accessibility
Strategies for incorporating accessibility into computing education.
From Communications of the ACM
Remaining Connected Throughout Design
Applying the unique experiences of designing technologies for vulnerable communities.
From Communications of the ACM
Divide and Conquer
The use and limits of bisection.
From Communications of the ACM
Competitive Compatibility: Let's Fix the Internet, Not the Tech Giants
Seeking to make Big Tech less central to the Internet.
From Communications of the ACM
AI Futures: Fact and Fantasy
Three books offer varied perspectives on the ascendancy of artificial intelligence.
