Tinder has announced a plan to bring background checks to its platform. With the pandemic pushing major growth for dating apps, the move seeks to ensure that the widespread shift to online dating doesn’t leave people vulnerable to cat-fishing, violence, and other forms of victimisation.

Snapchat is encouraging users to check their friend lists and remove anyone who isn’t a real friend. The move aims to keep people safe, differentiating the app from other social media platforms as an intimate space for genuine connections – something young people are hungry for.

Pandemic lockdowns led to an unprecedented surge in children’s usage of digital devices. Yet while tech helped alleviate some of the pressure placed on parents at the peak of the crisis, the mass digitisation of everyday life has raised questions around just how safe kids are online.

Whether to stay connected, informed, or distracted, social media plays multiple roles in people’s day-to-day lives – and it’s proving especially useful during the COVID-19 crisis. Canvas8 polled 1,000 Britons and spoke to eight people to find out what they want from these platforms and why.