From poetry readings to live music tutorials, COVID-19 is transforming the ways celebrities interact with fans. But how are influencers and celebs using or misusing their platforms to broadcast how relatable and accessible they are? And how will the cult of celebrity evolve post-pandemic?

As the global community looks to leaders to guide them through the coronavirus crisis, it’s the epidemiologists and virologists who are becoming trusted household names. With the focus shifting from contemporary figureheads to scientists, it’s changing the nature of trust and influence.

Celeb endorsements have lost some of their power in the social media era, but what makes bloggers, vloggers, and self-styled fashionistas so effective as spokespeople? Canvas8 talked to Alexander Schouten, assistant professor at Tilburg University, about how influencers convince people to buy.

The 2018 midterms saw Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez become the youngest woman ever elected to the US House of Representatives – the result of a campaign that harnessed the power of social media to great effect. What can brands and politicians learn from this digitally-savvy politician?