Applications
Disney ties up with Nielsen for ipad measurement
MUMBAI: US broadcaster Disney/ABC Television Group’s ABC Research team and media research company Nielsen have announced a new and significant initiative to substantially improve understanding of how people use iPads, for video consumption and other activities.
With Apple now reporting more than 55 million iPads sold to date and 3 million new iPads sold since 16 March, the importance of understanding how, when and where consumers use tablets is a top priority for the media industry.
For the study, ABC Research commissioned Nielsen to build a proprietary, opt-in Nielsen metered iPad panel to aggregate and measure video consumption, app usage and other activity over the course of a year. Approximately 200 respondents will be asked to download the meter, which will measure reach, duration, frequency and page views of their iPad apps and web usage. As a result, the study will offer the first view of actual behavior – as opposed to self-reported data – along with demographic trends and yearlong
insights.
Disney Media Networks executive VP of strategy and research Peter Seymour said, “We have been actively studying consumer tablet usage through our own data for two years, and believe Nielsen’s proprietary technology has the potential to deliver unprecedented additional details about consumer viewing patterns. This study will help us — and ultimately the entire industry — to better understand our consumers, the complete tablet environment and the role our content plays on this fast growing and popular device.”
ABC senior VP, research Charles Kennedy will provide some preliminary results of the study at today’s Advertiser Research Foundation’s re:Think conference. Initial data will include information on when web and app usage is heaviest on the iPad, as well as an overview on “A Day in the Life” of a tablet user who interacts with the ABC Player app.
The on-going study will measure reach, duration, frequency and page views of respondents’ iPad apps and web usage using a propriety downloadable meter.
Nielsen executive VP Cheryl Idell said, “With our unique metering capabilities, this work with ABC represents a significant step forward in understanding how consumers are using and bringing the iPad into their day-to-day. The insight gleaned from this study, using these metering capabilities, is an example of how we meet our commitment to deliver cross-platform understanding to the industry and provide broader understanding of consumers.”
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.
