US, EU reach data privacy deal

The U.S. and the European Union have entered a preliminary agreement that would allow the storage of Europeans' personal data in the U.S. just hours after E.U. officials reached an agreement on new digital rules for Google, Facebook, and other big tech firms, the Associated Press reports. "Today we’ve agreed to unprecedented protections for data privacy and security for our citizens. This new arrangement will enhance the Privacy Shield framework, promote growth and innovation in Europe and the United States, and help companies — both small and large — compete in the digital economy," said President Joe Biden. The deal would also enable the U.S. and E.U. to achieve "predictable and trustworthy data flows," according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Under the deal, the U.S. will be working to strengthen privacy and civil liberties protections in intelligence agencies' collection of text messages, emails, and other electronic communications, as well as establish safeguards to ensure the appropriateness of signals surveillance activities.