Recent ACM Public Policy Products

Official ACM policy statements require adoption by the ACM Council or the ACM Executive Committee, and represent the views of ACM. The following materials are the product of, and should be attributed to, the ACM Committees that authored them identified below.

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Historical Archives of Public Policy Statements

Archived policy statements are available for historical purposes. They do not necessarily represent current knowledge or reflect current technology. The archives are available here.

 

USTPC Statement on CrowdStrike Incident

ACM's US Technology Policy Committee has released a “Statement on Mass Cybersecurity Incidents Likely to Recur.” On July 18, 2024, CrowdStrike, a US-based cybersecurity technology company, released a sensor configuration update which caused a global outage affecting an estimated 8.5 million computers. Several critical infrastructure sectors including airlines, 911 emergency systems, banks, government agencies, healthcare, and hospitals around the world were impacted. While CrowdStrike has provided some information as to how the accident happened, ACM USTPC urges that all the details be thoroughly and publicly investigated.

ACM USTPC Expresses Concerns about Online Voting

ACM's US Technology Policy Committee (USTPC) is joining with organzations including the National Election Defense Coalition, R Street Institute, and Common Cause to release a report citing concerns on the security of internet and email voting. The report cites the increasing impact of cyberattacks on ballots in transit; malware on the voter’s computer/device; voter authentication; server attacks; and more. Recommendations include a return to paper ballots and other "low-tech" measures.

ACM US and Europe Tech Policy Committees Issue Statement on IoT Privacy and Security

The ACM US Technology Policy Committee and the ACM Europe Technology Policy Committee have released a Statement on Internet of Things Privacy and Security addressing existing and expected privacy and security concerns in the IoT ecosystem. The principles in the statement propose policy and technical approaches to tackle privacy and security challenges while ensuring that the technology continues to move forward.

ACM US and European Policy Committees List Seven Principles to Address Algorithmic Bias

Recognizing the ubiquity of algorithms in our daily lives, as well as their far-reaching impact, the ACM US Technology Policy Committee and the ACM Europe Technology Policy Committee have issued a statement and a list of seven principles designed to address potential harmful bias. The US ACM committee approved the principles earlier this year, and the European ACM committee approved them on May 25.

What Should Europe’s Cybersecurity Policy Focus On?

A new report on cybersecurity policy published by the European Commission’s top scientific advisers cites the ACM Europe Technology Policy Committee’s White Paper on “Advancing Cybersecurity Research and Education in Europe” and the ACM US Technology Policy Committee’s Principles on Algorithmic Transparency and Accountability. Among the report’s recommendations, the scientific advisers call for global cybersecurity cooperation.

USACM Statement on Law Enforcement Access to Devices

USACM issued a statement warning about consquences associated with mandated extraordinary access to user-controlled encryption systems. Among them are introducing "security vulnerabilities that would expose the involved systems to attack by malicious or otherwise extra-legal actors." USACM said such actions should be "subjected to rigorous analysis and detailed Congressional consideration of all risks and benefits."