From poetry readings to live music tutorials, COVID-19 is transforming the ways celebrities interact with fans. But how are influencers and celebs using or misusing their platforms to broadcast how relatable and accessible they are? And how will the cult of celebrity evolve post-pandemic?

Telepath, an invite-only social media platform, was built with the aim of promoting kindness and positivity. As people grow increasingly wary of the hateful content on mainstream platforms, there’s room for innovators to put a more positive and empathetic spin on online life.

TikTok has partnered with the Cyberbullying Research Centre to develop anti-bullying policies and features, giving creators the ability to control comments. With cyberbullying an unfortunate byproduct of life online, TikTok is looking for ways to tackle problematic behaviour.

Social media has the ability to send its users into a spiral of self-pity one day and transform their lives through the power of community the next. Canvas8 spoke to Sarah Raphael, co-author of Mixed Feelings, about our love-hate relationship with social media and what this means for brands.