Online conversations can range from inane to fiercely argumentative, and it seems like everyone has an opinion. But what are most people actually chatting about? Canvas8 spoke with 20 British men and women to find out why they leave comments on news sites, social media, and forums.

Wholesome Memes don't aim to deride, discourage or disrespect, instead they’re about celebrating love, friendships and life itself. Memes used to be pithy or cynical reactions to cultural events, but now subreddits like /r/wholesomememes are using the format to spread a little positivity.

Surprisingly, social media really isn’t all that social. People may be chatting more online, but digital friendships don't provide the same value and social support as real life mates. Research has found that heavy social media use among young adults is correlated with an increase in loneliness.

At some point, most people will have found themselves looking through someone's Instagram feed without commenting or engaging with it. Canvas8 spoke with Ruoxu Wang, Fan Yang and Michel M. Haigh, authors of ‘Let me take a selfie’, to understand how lurking affects our self-esteem.