Public Policy Statements

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.

2019

Comments to National Institute of Standards and Technology on Developing a Privacy Framework, ACM U.S. Technology Policy Committee (January 14, 2019)
Joint Comments to Dept. of Commerce Bureau of Industry Security on Emerging Technology Export Controls, ACM U.S. Technology Policy Committee (January 10, 2019)

2018

Comments to U.S. Commerce Department and Bureau of the Census on Revision of the National Data Strategy (Phase 2), ACM US Technology Policy Committee (November 16, 2018)
Comments to NTIA re: Developing the Administration’s Approach to Consumer Privacy, ACM US Technology Policy Committee (November 8, 2018)
Letter to European Commission Scientific Advice Mechanism re: Scoping Paper on Transforming the Future of Ageing, ACM Europe Technology Policy Committee, (November 7, 2018)
Comments to NSF re: Revision of the 2016 National Artificial Intelligence R&D Strategic Plan, ACM US Technology Policy Committee (October 26, 2018)
Joint Letter to NSF Endorsing Comments of the Computing Community Consortium on Revision of the 2016 National Artificial Intelligence R&D Strategic Plan, ACM US Technology Policy Committee (October 26, 2018)
Joint Report on Email and Internet Voting: The Overlooked Threat to Election Security (October 10, 2018)
Joint Letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Leaders Urging Rapid Action to Fill Vacancies on Privacy & Civil Liberties Oversight Board (August 29, 2018)
Letter by ACM President Cherri Pancake to United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (August 22, 2018)
Joint Petition to White House Office of Science & Technology Policy Requesting Mechanism for Public Input on Development of National Artificial Intelligence Policy (July 4, 2018)
Letter to US Senate Calling for Consumer Privacy Protections to Safeguard Data, ACM US Technology Policy Committee (July 2, 2018)
Letter to Commissioner Carlos Moedas re: Horizon Europe Funding Priorities, ACM Europe Council and ACM Europe Technology Policy Committee (June 12, 2018)
Letter to Leadership of House Appropriations Committee in Support of Examining Revival of Expert Congressional Technology Assessment Capacity, ACM US Public Policy Council (May 7, 2018)
Letter to Leadership of Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch in Support of Examining Revival of Expert Congressional Technology Assessment Capacity, ACM US Public Policy Council (April 26, 2018)
Letter to Leadership of House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch in Support of Examining Revival of Expert Congressional Technology Assessment Capacity, ACM US Public Policy Council (April 25, 2018)
Letter to U.S. House Committee on Appropriations RE Congressional Technology Assessment Capacity and Resources, ACM US Public Policy Council (April 25, 2018)
Statement on Mandatory Engineered Law Enforcement Access to Information Infrastructure and Devices, ACM US Public Policy Council Council (April 12, 2018)
Letter to U.S. Senators on Committee Consideration of Facebook Data Compromises, ACM US Public Policy Council (April 9, 2018)
USACM Statement on the Importance of Preserving Personal Privacy, ACM US Public Policy Council (March 1, 2018)
Comments to NTIA re: Promoting Stakeholder Action Against Botnets and Other Automated Threats, ACM US Public Policy Council (February 12, 2018)

2017

Comments to the U.S. Copyright Office on Computing Security Research Exemptions under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2017)
Statement on Accessibility, Usability, and Digital Inclusiveness, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2017)
Statement on Internet of Things Privacy and Security, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council, ACM Europe Council Policy Committee (2017)
Statement on Algorithmic Transparency and Accountability, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council, ACM Europe Council Policy Committee (2017)
Statement on Computing and Network Security, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2017)
Statement on Algorithmic Transparency and Accountability, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2017)
Comments to the U.S. Department of Commerce on Internet of Things Green Paper, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2017)
ACM Expresses Concern About New U.S. Executive Order Suspending Visas (2017)

2016

White Paper on Advancing Cybersecurity Research and Education in Europe: Major Drivers of Growth in the Digital Landscape, ACM Europe Policy Committee (2016)
Comments to the U.S. Department of Commerce on the Internet of Things, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2016)
Comments to the U.S. Department of Justice on Accessibility, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2016)
Comments to the Presidential Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2016)
Comments to the U.S. Government on Regulations for Research Involving Human Subjects, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2016)
Comments to the U.S. Copyright Office on Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Section 1201 Policy Study, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2016)

2015

Statement on 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2015)
Comments to the White House on a Revised Policy for Managing Federal IT Systems, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2015)
Comments to the U.S. Copyright Office on Computing Security Research Exemptions under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2015)
Comments to the National Institute of Standards and Technology on U.S. Participation in International Cybersecurity Standardization, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2015)
Comments to the National Institute of Standards and Technology on Privacy Risk Management, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2015)
Comments to the National Institute of Standards and Technology on Accessible and Usable Voting Systems, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2015)
Letters to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) suggesting future activities, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2015)
Comments to the U.S. Access Board on Accessibility, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2015)
Statement regarding the U.S. President’s State of the Union Address, ACM U.S. Public Policy Council (2015)

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 avialable here.

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 US 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 should be "subjected to rigorous analysis and detailed Congressional consideration of all risks and benefits."