Amid rising student loans and concerns over ‘elitist’ admission policies, the proportion of Americans who see value in a college education is falling. Brands may be able to step in by offering accessible learning opportunities and helping people develop their skills to better their career prospects.

User confidence in social media giants has been plummeting in the wake of data privacy scandals and the rise of ‘fake news’. As a result, many are choosing to connect with like-minded individuals in micro-spaces that they believe can offer better security and a sense of community.

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 Americans and spoke to nine people to find out what they want from these platforms and why.

Research has found that mental health issues are not caused solely by using social media but rather a mix of online and offline factors that disproportionately affect minority groups. As people increasingly look to platforms to boost their wellbeing, there's a need for a targeted approach.