Every day we wake up, drink a cup of coffee, and get ready for work. Following are a handful of stories from around the tech world condensed to fit into one single cup of coffee. These are the things you need to know before you step foot out of your door (or in front of a webcam) and into the real world this morning.
So sit back, grab a cup, and start your morning off right with a few “Quick Bytes” from Innovation & Tech Today.
European Citizens’ Data Could be Stored in the U.S. Again
The U.S. and European Union (EU) have reached a preliminary deal on data privacy. The deal, announced by President Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Friday allows companies to store information collected on European citizens on American soil. The trans-Atlantic data exchange facilitates $7.1 trillion in economic relations with the EU annually.
Friday’s deal is particularly important for big U.S. technology companies that have called on diplomats to strike a deal to head off a growing number of cases in which European privacy regulators are ordering them or their clients to cut off their transfer of data to the U.S, according to WSJ.
At the heart of the issue of the deal is the balance between privacy and the economic interests of large tech companies.
In the announcement, Von der Leyen assured citizens the deal “will enable predictable and trustworthy data flows between the EU and U.S., safeguarding privacy and civil liberties.”
This Year’s Oscars Marked a Huge Milestone for Streaming Services
There were a few historic moments at this year’s Acadamy Awards ceremony. One of the most noteworthy – although not the most publicized due to Will Smith’s display of violence against presenter Chris Rock – was the Best Picture award going to Apple TV’s CODA. This is the first time a film that premiered on a streaming service has won the prestigious award.
The film, with a mostly deaf cast, follows Ruby (played Emilia Jones), a high school student who navigates life as the only hearing member of a Deaf family in Gloucester, Massachusetts, according to Engadget.
Netflix films also received 27 nominations, as the flagship streaming service continues to put out critically acclaimed content.
The Crypto Community is Rallying Around Ukraine
People around the world are supporting Ukraine in its war against the invading Russian army by donating millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.
Minister of Digital Transformation Mikhail Federov urged the crypto community to help the Ukrainian cause in a tweet on Feb. 26. Since Federov made the statement, the Ukrainian government says it has taken in almost $67 million of its $200 million goal as of Saturday, according to AP.
The Ukrainian government has converted about 80% of the donations into traditional currency, and spent about $34 million. This and other sources of aid have helped fund the humanitarian effort in the country, and more crypto donations are expected in the coming weeks and months.
U.S. Hospitals are Preparing for Potential Russian Cyberattacks
Hospitals in Massachusetts are on high alert after being warned that Russian cyberattacks could be incoming.
The White House, FBI, federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), and the American Hospital Association (AHA) have all issued warnings after receiving intel about the cyberthreats.
In early March, hospitals received a statement from CISA telling them to “have shields up.”
President Biden has also issued a statement on March 21 warning that Russia is exploring options for potential cyberattacks.
Recently unsealed indictments also allege Russian hackers have been targeting U.S. oil refineries for a decade. This means if Russia were to attempt a cyberattack on American soil, there is a high chance it would be successful.
