Aware of hidden agendas, people no longer believe in the possibility of absolute truth or complete transparency from institutions, public figures, and individuals. Yet they are still drawn to honesty, integrity, and – at times – even vulnerability, which they expect from peers and brands alike.

Twitter has started testing a CoTweets feature, letting users in the US, Canada, and Korea co-author posts. In addition to facilitating collaborations on the platform, the move could help boost trust in social media by offering increased transparency around brands' and influencers' content.

BeReal is a social media app that hinges on the principle of scarcity. By limiting posts to one a day, it encourages users to share a snapshot of their daily lives in real-time rather than curating an idealized feed – a reflection of how demands for authenticity may reshape online communications.

Research suggests that a minority of American Twitter users account for the vast majority of political messages on the platform, with over-50s leading this discourse. As social networks become more splintered along generational lines, their politics are also becoming more polarized.

For neurodivergent people, the discourse around conditions such as ADHD, OCD, or ASD can often seem wide of the mark. But with neurodiverse-identifying communities growing online, how can brands use their preferred modes of communication to reach them authentically and transparently?