USACM's policy role

As ACM members we understand that computing technologies enable and support much of modern society. Furthermore, years, but the issue continues to be active at both state and federal levels. We will continue to pursue appropriate reforms and safeguards. Intellectual Property (IP). ACM is a major publisher and the ACM trademark is an important asset. Many ACM members produce intellectual property. USACM respects the legal framework that allows property owners and creators to have some control over how their IP is used. However, we have concerns about regulations (for example, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act) and technologies that impact scholarship, fair use, reverse analysis for accessibility and security, and other reasonable uses of IP. USACM continues to champion an equitable IP regime. Accessibility. USACM advocates for computing access that is fair and inclusive for everyone, including people with disabilities. Our recent public statement on this topic involved contributions by SIGACCESS, SIGCHI, and SIGWEB. USACM is promoting this position for both existing and future systems. In addition to these projects, USACM also works closely with the Computing Research Association on diversity and science funding policy. K–12 education policy is addressed by our peer, the ACM Education Policy Committee. These issues all relate to computing technology in important ways, but none can be solved with technology alone. Instead, workable solutions require people who understand the technology, and who invest the effort to understand and participate in the policy environment. USACM has addressed this challenge for 15 years, and the set of issues to address keeps growing. That’s good, because it reflects the growing importance of computing and the ACM! For more information about USACM, visit http://www.acm.org/usacm/.