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Opera Software launches ad platform arm
MUMBAI: Norwegian-based Opera Software has announced the launch of its fully-owned subsidiary, Opera Mediaworks.
The subsidiary will focus on providing advertising, content distribution and monetisation services to the global mobile marketplace.
Opera Mediaworks claims to service more than 80,000 mobile sites and mobile applications, managing more than 50 Billion ad impressions per month and enabling more than $400 million of publisher revenue in 2012.
Making use of a variety of ad technology platforms and Opera’s mobile browsers, Opera Mediaworks is expanding Opera’s brand and presence, enabling a more open and efficient marketplace among mobile publishers and advertisers.
Opera Mediaworks enables brands to reach their target audiences while making it possible for consumers to find, use and purchase the mobile content and services most relevant to their interests.
Additionally, the company has also announced the launch of a new performance-based mobile advertising platform called Opera Mediaworks Performance, which provides advertisers with comprehensive tools to better reach their target audience and acquire new customers.
Based on the idea that mobile advertising should entice consumers to connect directly with the advertiser, Opera Mediaworks Performance facilitates real-time targeting and reporting on mobile ad campaigns.
Opera Mediaworks offers four service areas targeting advertisers, publishers, mobile operators and others that participate in the mobile economy. The services are- Ad mediation and Ad exchange services, Mobile ad agency and networks, Opera Mobile Store and Opera Payment Exchange (OPX).
With AdMarvel and Opera Mediaworks Ad Exchange, the advertising ecosystem can easily harness ad-mediation, ad-serving and real-time-bidding (RTB) technologies that bring everyone in the mobile advertising value chain to one common marketplace and participate in a public or private exchange, with increased transparency and control of advertising placement, the company said in a press statement.
According to Opera, Mobile Theory and 4th Screen Advertising are two of the leading premium mobile advertising networks spanning North America and Europe. Going beyond clicks and management offerings to advertisers, they enable some of the largest global brands to deliver rich media campaigns that engage and immerse mobile consumers.
Opera Mobile Store is a multi-platform app store which is accessible from any web-enabled phone; it offers a highly flexible white-label app-store solution for mobile operators, as well as handset manufacturers and distributors.
Meanwhile, OPX is a payment-enablement solution that reduces friction for mobile publishers, payment providers and mobile operators, while building trust towards consumers. OPX allows operators and storefronts to gain merchandising intelligence and lower costs and to monetise their offerings.
Opera Mediaworks EVP for consumer mobile for Opera Software and CEO Mahi de Silva said, “Opera has worked hard and smart to bring together a stellar portfolio of products and solutions to service all the various players in the mobile ecosystem. We are proud to launch the Opera Mediaworks brand to simplify our offering as the world’s largest mobile ad platform.”
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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.
