What does a lack of IRL interaction mean for virtual communities? Can influencers remain apolitical? How can Big Tech firms win back people’s trust? In this part of the 2021 Expert Outlook, we speak to three experts about how communications are shifting in the wake of a crisis-filled year.

With virtual conferences becoming the norm for the foreseeable future due to the pandemic, businesses are looking for innovative ways to bring the benefits of in-person attendance to the virtual realm. Start-up Hopin is hoping to fill this void with its online venue for live events.

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.

The way children communicate with their peers, family, and teachers has shifted dramatically thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. But what are the long-term implications for how they socialise, learn, and play? And how are parents and brands mitigating fears around safety and screen addiction?