Children as young as seven are becoming mobile phone owners – but how young is too young? As technology becomes an integral part of growing up, people are looking to brands to help mediate kids’ relationships with gadgets and allow parents to stay on top of tech habits.

As the pandemic keeps people at home, the way we use our phones is changing. But shifts were happening pre-COVID-19, as tech moved away from novelty and into everyday life. Is design alone enough when it comes to creating aspirational items? And how are ethical values impacting the tech space?

There have been countless headlines about the dangers of smartphone addiction, but what benefits could these devices have on our mental state? Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Shiri Melumad, a marketing professor at the Wharton School, about how our phones can provide comfort in times of stress.

Social media has the ability to send its users into a spiral of self-pity one day and transform their lives through the power of community the next. Canvas8 spoke to Sarah Raphael, co-author ofMixed Feelings, about our love-hate relationship with social media and what this means for brands.