Diverse representation is an expectation, but as individuals no longer allow themselves to be defined in singular terms, there's mounting pressure on brands to understand and sensitively reflect how the intersections between race, gender, class, and ability impact people's everyday lives.

With social media giving everyone a voice and helping to raise awareness of corporate missteps, people are more critical of brands than ever. But ‘call-out culture’ doesn’t have to be a source of concern – it can be an opportunity to create authentic identities both reactively and proactively.

In an age when social content reigns, the nuances between networks are growing more apparent, from meditative pinning on Pinterest to thwarting Trump on TikTok. Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Matthew Pittman and Dr. Brandon Reich to understand why content lands differently across platforms.

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 our minds map out social networks and the relationships within them just as they would with physical spaces. With social distancing breeding a sense of disconnection, brands have an opportunity to help people make a meaningful maze out of their digital contacts.