Love knows no bounds.

Dear fellow Internet Optimist,

It’s time we had a talk about our relationship with technology. Due to a global pandemic, the world has been forced to migrate work calls and social interactions online. With increased Internet consumption comes unique challenges. In this issue we’ll discuss data privacy’s newfound importance, the dangers of letting your kids run wild on the Internet, and the impact of taking a step back from social media.

APPS

But first, some cool new apps

Every other Friday at 8:30AM PST, developers present their in-progress apps at our Demo Day. This past Demo Day, we heard from 6 developer teams about the apps they’re working on. These include:

Check out the rest of the apps by viewing the full recording of Demo Day here. (Password: MAv.a2gu) And find out which apps are in-market (or about to be) here.

STATISTICS

Data privacy matters more than ever to businesses during the pandemic

A year of trading in-person meetings for Zoom calls has made us well-acquainted with both the joys and frustrations of working from home, causing a shift in our priorities. According to Cisco’s 2021 Data Privacy Benchmark Study, organizations are investing more resources into privacy — likely a result of businesses having to migrate their work online.

Read the full study from Cisco.

KIDS AND TECH

My $500 Run-in with Roblox

A case study for parents, marketers, and anyone who thinks they understand gaming apps for kids, written by Mom who didn’t read the User Agreement, and The @ Company CMO, Jory Des Jardins.

While doing virtual school at home, Jory’s daughters were invited to play on Roblox with their classmates. The offer had definite perks — it gave the kids a way to engage socially while their parents worked, and the kid-friendly platform seemed like a safe place for online interaction. 

Then, the email invoices from Apple started rolling in. 

Read about Jory’s $500 run-in with Roblox.

INTERVIEW

De-Instagram-ing Your Life: What One Gen Z-er Learned After Deleting the App

For 20-year-old college student Rose Dippel, the decision to delete Instagram was inspired by a combination of reasons, not least of all because of social media’s addictive nature.

Though Instagram had become fully integrated into her everyday life, she eventually made the decision to cut ties with the app.

Read about how deleting Instagram changed Rose’s life.

FOR @DEVS

@ppathon II

We launched our second @ppathon this past February 1. Win $500 in cash, a custom @sign worth $1,000, and even a 6-week mentorship with The @ Company. Accepting applications through February 26, 2021.

Learn more about how to get involved.

Tyler Time

Watch this video on how to set up your Hello World app with our talented developers Tyler McNierney and Tyler Trott!

Learn more about the @protocol

Curious about how the @protocol works? In our developer series, we explain the ins and outs of the @protocol.

The @protocol fundamentals – This article will give you a basic understanding of how our technology works.

Data encryption and caching with the @protocol – In this document, we will discuss how we went about accomplishing data encryption on the @protocol.

The @protocol synchronization– The process of maintaining identical copies of this data on the server and your mobile devices is known as synchronization.

IN OTHER NEWS

• Internet Optimists wanted! By signing up for our Early Access program, you’ll get a 20% discount on @signs, join our Beta Tester list, and get exclusive access to our workshops. Sign up now (you can always opt out).
• Calling all Flutter developers: Google’s 30 Days of Flutter culminates in one final event on March 3 called Flutter Engage. Come hang out with us!
• On International Women’s Day (March 8), our CEO Barbara Tallent will be speaking at Women in Tech Present: TECH(K)NOW Day. 
• This past month, we had the honor of participating in a local meetup with Flutter developers in Bangalore. Thanks, Flutter Bangalore!
• We love the Internet. And we know it’s not perfect. In our manifesto, read about what matters to us and why.
• Esther Kao, The @ Company’s content strategist, received an email from Google that put a price tag of $12 on her data.
• Need some help getting @persona up and running? You can get your questions answered at our weekly troubleshooting sessions, run by our trusty People Support team. Sign up now!

PRESS

Hi Mom, we’re famous! 

• Hang out with our CMO Jory Des Jardins on a podcast featuring Wonder Women in Business and a recent episode of CoronaTV, Joseph Jaffe’s weekly streaming show about hope, positivity, and optimism. Or, read her interview with Falling into Freelancing, where she talks about data privacy, career pivots, and why you should dodge Oprah’s phone calls. 
• “Data is the new oil; it’s the new economy,” our CTO Colin Constable says in EM360’s Tech Chat. Listen to the full conversation.
• If you’re a podcast listener, you might enjoy this chat on data privacy between CMO Jory Des Jardins and CEO Barbara Tallent, hosted by Leading With Nice.

WHAT WE’RE READING

Outside In: The Power Of Putting Customers At The Center Of Your Business
by Harley Manning and Kerry Bodine

We’re all about treating people (especially our customers) like people at The @ Company.

As the title of Outside In suggests, Harley Manning and Kerry Bodine argue that good customer experience is an essential goal for any business. The book identifies six core disciplines that are necessary for high-quality customer experience: strategy, customer understanding, design, measurement, governance, and culture.

JUST KIDDING

What kind of doctor fixes broken websites? 
A URLologist.

From Free Funny Jokes