Two unconnected events in the first week of 2021 have sped the adoption of decentralised real time communication. WhatsApp is being sucked dry by its data mining owner The first was an update to WhatsApp’s privacy policy. Rarely has a privacy policy managed to generate quite so much media coverage. Perhaps the first working day of the year wasn’t such a good time to bury bad news after all.

The World Wide Web is for everyone, right? Sadly, when it comes to digital experiences, it’s more of a bob and weave if you are not a ‘typical’ user. Which is why inclusivity in design is much more than a buzzword now. As we edge toward a digitally native population with a vibrant and varied demography of people who are connected by a digital environment, it’s time to question some of the design assumptions we have.