A Letter to ACM

Responding to the 2020 Turing Award

We, the editorial team at Interactions magazine, stand with the many brave scholars, including Interactions contributors Niloufar Salehi and Ali Alkhatib, who have condemned ACM for its perpetuation of systemic harm. With the 2020 Turing Award, ACM has elevated someone who has sustained bigoted and racist views and consistently harmed an entire nationality. The Turing Award is ACM’s highest prize for advancement in computer science, awarding an individual annually with one million dollars. Giving this award to someone who has systematically made the field hostile to a whole group of people not only prevents the advancement of the field, but pereptatues the harm itself.

At Interactions magazine, we have sought to create space for value-based discussions that prioritize equity. We believe our field cannot advance without promoting care and respect for one another. It is ACM’s responsibility to create conditions that cultivate a culture of respect and dignity for all. With the current Turing Award, they have harmed us all.

We call for ACM to apologize for and rescind this year’s award and to install a new process that includes a responsible assessment of systemic impacts for all award selection in future years.

Alex, Daniela and Mikael