February Tech News Overview

There were many events related to giant companies such as Amazon, Uber, Postmates, DoorDash in February. Meanwhile, YouTube is starting to test TikTok’s new competitor, Shorts. Bosch and Microsoft are building cloud technologies for cars. Twitter is committed to increasing leadership diversity. Google has chosen a new leader in ethical AI. The main tech-optimist Bill Gates plans to save the planet. But that’s not all. Read the digest of the most important news in this article.

“Human capital” or changes in labor productivity

The rise of e-commerce has led giant companies such as Amazon, Target, Walmart, and others to intensify warehouse use. Companies expect to work quickly and diligently, but they lack clear standards for security. Certain norms regulate workers’ productivity in such dangerous conditions. And often they neglect breaks and personal hygiene to complete online delivery orders faster.

The law known as AB5 proposes to reclassify workers. AB 701 protects people working in warehouses.

• Despite everything, Amazon has tightened its crackdown on its workers to keep labor union talks out of the question.
• Postmates also failed to protect their employees. Recently, a rogue has stolen about $ 350 from a worker, one of his biggest earnings.
• The drivers demanded compensation from Uber for the time, spent on disinfection, as well as sufficient personal protective equipment. The company is lobbying for “new standards” of work on the platform. It aims to avoid the nightmare scenario of funding a full set of labor rights.
• DoorDash workers are also on strike against low-paying orders. That will significantly increase their average pay per booking.

President Biden has appointed Jennifer Abruzzo as General Counsel for NLRB. She is a brilliant specialist. She makes decisions that will define the daily life of people in their workplace.

A few words about the Twitter and Google staff…

Twitter entered the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, pledging to increase the ethnic diversity of its leadership team to 25%. It currently comprises 6.5% Black, 3.9% Latin American, 2.8% representatives of different races, and less than 1% Aboriginal.

Google also announced the firing of top AI ethics researcher Margaret Mitchell. The company didn’t detail the investigation results but reported the code of conduct violations and data theft. Meanwhile, Google AI has chosen a new leader in person of Dr. Marian Croak. Now she’ll work on AI accessibility and ethics, algorithmic health equity, etc.

Bosch and Microsoft begin work on software for auto

Cloud technology based on Microsoft Azure ensures that the control unit and car computer can receive software for their lifetime. That will provide wireless updates that are as effective as smartphones.

The Volkswagen Group also started working with Microsoft. They are using the cloud to develop programs for self-driving cars.

FTA Hack Victims

The hacking attack of the FTA (Accellion) data transfer software affected the security not only of Kroger Co. but other great companies. The famous US law firm Jones Day, which is directly related to Donald Trump, also suffered from a leak of about 85 GB of data. Accellion said that the product outdated. It was 20 years old at the moment of the attack. All FTA vulnerabilities developers have already eliminated.

Shorts testing

As TikTok (ByteDance) is at its peak, YouTube decided to launch a beta version of competitive Shorts. It’ll present the platform in March. YouTube Shorts will allow you to shoot and upload 15-second videos. Unfortunately, when the company will release the full version is still unknown.

The Indian government banned TikTok due to national security concerns. That provided an excellent opportunity for Google to start testing the platform. To date, she receives 3.5 billion views per day.

And finally, about Bill Gates’s propositions to avoid climate change.

If you ask a technologist to solve the global climate change problem, he’ll instinctively find a technological solution.

Bill Gates, a co-founder of Microsoft, has proven to be the most eloquent techno-optimist. In his book “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster”, he talks about the importance of disruptive technologies to stop the emission of 51 million tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

The modern lifestyle is directly dependent on fossil fuels. Gates noted that the oil gallon price is cheaper than a soda gallon from Costco ($ 1 vs $ 2.85). Now we cannot afford more gas emissions. Thus the researchers should stop it before 2050. The transition to clean electricity will push prices up 15%. How will such changes affect people on low incomes? For the majority of activities, using traditional fuel options is a cheaper option than environmentally friendly ones.

To find a solution to climate change, Bill Gates mobilized support for investment funds, 40 companies, and charitable initiatives. Breakthrough Energy’s technology solutions can also deliver impressive results and help save the planet.

Let’s sum up.

Significant changes in the personnel policy of large companies were crowned in February 2021. The US government’s concern about ordinary people’s lives led to the writing of laws, regulating the rights of warehouse workers, taxi drivers, couriers, and others. Ethnic diversity in leadership, dismissals, and controversy are all taking place this month as well.

The world is excited about hacker attacks and data leaks. Indeed, due to the lack of jobs, it has become a way of earning money.

Despite everything, software development doesn’t sleep and is actively growing. The YouTube Shorts platform and the cloud technology for cars from Bosch and Microsoft are bright confirmation. Bill Gates is also strongly supporting progress with his explosive decisions. In his book, he highlighted the most important points that will help save the planet and fight climate change.

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