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TRAI warns Kolkata MSOs to meet the 23 August deadline
NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has expressed serious concern over the slow progress in filling up of consumer details in Kolkata despite a deadline of 23 August for subscriber application forms (CAF).
After a meeting in Kolkata with multi-system operators who are required to update their subscriber management system for supplying signals to cable operators, TRAI said only around 30 per cent of the subscriber information was available with the MSOs. The meeting was addressed by N Parameswaram, Principal Advisor (Broadcasting) in TRAI.
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‘This situation is totally unacceptable and alarming‘, a press note signed by Parameswaram said, adding that all MSOs have been asked to initiate immediate steps to remedy the situation.
He said TRAI may be forced to take penal action against MSOs/ local cable operators in case the deadline is not met.
While requesting subscribers to cooperate, he said that MSOs would have no option but to switch off signals to those subscribers who have not given complete CAFs by 23 August.
Furthermore, he said MSOs who do not switch off the signals to offending subscribers would be in breach of the law.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
