The surge in screen-time sparked by COVID-19 has left some people mentally and emotionally fatigued. Yet online habits don’t have to be defined by ‘doomscrolling’ and unrealistic social feeds. How can ‘digital gardens’ facilitate a calmer and more cooperative way to interact on the web?

Despite being digitally savvy and generally switched on to tech, Gen Z women are keener than other generations – including Gen Yers – to switch off completely. Plagued by tech fatigue, this younger cohort, who has grown up constantly surrounded by technology, is seeking more disconnection.

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 Britons and spoke to eight people to find out what they want from these platforms and why.

Telepath, an invite-only social media platform, was built with the aim of promoting kindness and positivity. As people grow increasingly wary of the hateful content on mainstream platforms, there’s room for innovators to put a more positive and empathetic spin on online life.