Applications
zeebox gets in Viacom
MUMBAI: zeebox, the TV viewing companion, has signed on Viacom as a strategic partner, joining Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, HBO and Cinemax in backing the universal, cross-channel TV viewing companion app for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, and the Web.
zeebox, which had launched in the US a few days ago, is the brainchild of former EMI executive Ernesto Schmitt and former BBC iPlayer CTO Anthony Rose. It enables consumers to discover what to watch by browsing comprehensive TV listings, social media and personalised recommendations. Viewers can engage with their favourite television personalities directly through zeebox and even buy the products they see on TV. zeebox also automatically displays richer information about each program as viewers are watching.
zeebox CEO, co-founder Ernesto Schmitt said, “zeebox was built as an open platform that programmers and operators can easily use to enhance their brands on the second-screen, engage with fans and build new ways to bring the TV and Internet advertising industries together. The most engaging, compelling consumer experience on the second screen will be driven by the depth of content and the degree of integration with established TV brands – for this reason we‘re delighted to be working with Viacom and its world class entertainment brands.”
Like Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal, Viacom is backing zeebox with investments and promotional commitments, while preparing to enhance their top TV shows on zeebox. zeebox‘s OpenBox API is designed to enable any TV network to enhance its shows on zeebox, distribute exclusive content, and connect directly with fans whilst enabling them to continue using their favorite social media, such as Twitter.
Viacom Media Networks COO Rich Eigendorff said,”Viacom has the most socially engaged audiences anywhere, and we‘re constantly striving to give our fans new ways to discover and connect with our content. zeebox is a powerful new platform to create even richer and more interactive experiences around our programming, and build an even deeper connection between our brands and our fans.”
zeebox‘s OpenBox API allows content owners to enhance their shows and channels on the zeebox app in a matter of hours, distributing exclusive content to consumers, connecting directly with fans through live interactions and social engagement, and monetizing the second screen alongside TV commercials through synchronised, targeted, relevant advertising and affiliate links.
Applications
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.
