The self-made mythos is as powerful as ever, despite societal upheaval testing its limits. Even mundane pastimes have been monetised as people cash in on massive audiences and leave no niche unexplored. Selling out is no longer a source of embarrassment, it’s just what makes the world go round.

Unicode’s 2021 update features 217 new emojis, adding everything from racially-inclusive emoji couples to a floating head in the clouds. As social distancing puts even more weight on technologically-mediated communication, younger generations want more nuanced visual tools at their disposal.

From slacker bears to boba-slurping cats, WeChat stickers have become integral to self-expression in China. They sit in their own category of digital communication, separate from GIFs, emojis, or plain text – opening up possibilities for sentiment analysis and brand collaboration.

With people searching for different spaces to engage online, alternatives to Big Tech platforms are cropping up. Rumble found favor with its pro-creator stance – but positioning yourself as the underdog is not without its challenges. How can platforms manage polarized conversation?

‘Influence’ is a multi-billion dollar industry. But what actually is it? Who determines who has it? And what impact does it have on society? Canvas8 spoke to brand and trend strategist Olivia Yallop about the future of influencer ubiquity and how brands can stay ahead in an influence economy.