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Charlie Sheen invests in an OTT company
MUMBAI: The Digital Development Group (DIDG) (DigiDev), a Hollywood-based Over the Top (OTT) TV, technology, content acquisition and distribution company, has announced that actor Charlie Sheen has invested in the company.
The funds will be used to help the company expand its original programming and other content. This comes on the heels of Sheen‘s recent deal with DigiDev for the development and creation of the Charlie Sheen Cyber TV channel.
DigiDev president Joe Q. Bretz said, “Charlie understands the power of this new TV technology and his fertile mind has already begun to shape his upcoming channel. Old fans and new fans will see the uncensored Charlie Sheen take on the role of the ‘outspoken‘ spokesperson for the new generation.”
“Internet television is on fire with Bloomberg reporting that Netflix tops cable networks with 4-billion viewing hours in the past three months, and Mediapost.com forecasting that OTT (Internet TV) will hit $20 billion by 2015, which explains why in addition to Netflix, Google, and Apple, others are charging into this arena. DigiDev will continue to create new, cutting-edge programming, while increasing its channel count with an eclectic mix of compelling programming,” Bretz added.
Sheen said, “Joe and his crew have built an amazing machine and I‘m looking forward to the launch of my channel. My investment in DigiDev is a vote of confidence, confidence in Joe and confidence in the industry”.
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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.
