“I opened my first online banking account when I was in my early 20s, and I felt so fearful about it, and laugh at that years later … But even though I was on the front lines of Facebook, I still speak technology as a second language,” Ms Zuckerberg said.
“But for Millennial parents and teenagers growing up with this, it is the new normal that apps they use on their phones are collecting data, and that they’re using Google Maps and are giving their location.
“I think it’s going to be one of those things that we look back on and see that this was the moment where location data became normal, and that it powered all of these huge businesses like Uber, Life360 and Airbnb.”
Australian venture capital fund Carthona Capital owns about 2 per cent of the company and its co-founder, Dean Dorrell, said he believed Ms Zuckerberg’s appointment had boosted the share price because it represented the potential for big growth.
“Its further recognition of Life360 growing a global brand around family safety and security, which is increasingly important in the modern world. Randi has extremely important experience in being an early senior member of the Facebook team and growing a global social platform, that Life360 has become for the family sector,” Mr Dorrell said.
“Its vindication of Life360’s potential and importance that she has agreed to become part of the company.”
While her association with Facebook ended in 2011, the potential for Facebook to acquire Life360 in the future would also have been behind some of Wednesday’s investor optimism. However, Ms Zuckerberg laughed off any future role as a dealmaker.
“I have not even told my brother yet about this, because, you know, I, take the [disclosure] of the information very seriously,” she said.
“I have found in life that it’s kind of better to just keep a little bit of a separation between work and family. So we’ll ask each other for feedback on things from time to time, but I do believe that Life360’s work will stand on its own. And I’m sure that the company will attract the interest of big companies and big investors around the world, and if it does, then I’ve helped to do my job.”
