Highlights of the Week (Feb 12, 2021)

For all those who celebrate, Happy Lunar New Year! May the Year of the Ox bring prosperity and good health. When we mention good health, the CDC has issued new double-mask guidelines that say will help prevent up to 92% of the spread of the virus. In addition to double-masking, smart e-commerce operators are offering mask fitters, which are plastic frames often constructed to an individual's face shape that sit over a mask for a tighter fit. We are eager to see online stores filled with new mask fitters!

• When Whatsapp was bought by Facebook, consumers worried that Big Tech would read their private messages. Now it seems that Whatsapp is moving closer to mining private conversations, so consumers are shifting to apps that really do keep chats private. Read more.
• Even as Uber reported a net loss of $6.76BN in 2020, its food business soared. Restaurant delivery, as well as grocery delivery services, are helping families in the midst of the pandemic. Here’s our list of 5 grocery services that all have unique business models. Take a look.
• This coming weekend is Valentine’s Day. With no physical events to attend, you might think that romance is dead this year. Rest assured there are plenty of virtual event startups thriving, and they host everything from cocktail parties to virtual concerts with The Weeknd. See the list.
• GM may have gotten Will Ferrell to tell us the US is behind Norway in EV sales, but there’s a larger threat. It's the fast-growing number of Chinese-EV manufacturers and Chinese-backed EV startups ready to go public in the US. Read the story.