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We have removed objectionable content, Google tells court
NEW DELHI: Google today told a Delhi court that that it has removed alleged objectionable contents from its web posts as it is aware of its responsibility as a service provider.
In a written statement before Administrative Civil Judge Praveen Singh, Google Inc. denied the allegation that it projected Indian culture in poor light.
The statement said Google Inc has a system to ensure that “rights and interests” of all relevant parties were well protected.
The US-based firm said the alleged objectionable contents were removed after its Indian subsidiary Google India brought them to the notice of the service provider.
Every product offered is governed by the policies aimed at striking a proper balance between enabling free speech and expression and maintaining a responsible and safe community, the company told the court.
Seeking dismissal of the civil suit, Google Inc said that the case against it was filed in complete disregard of immunity given to a service provider under the Information Technology Act for any third party content linked or hosted by it.
Besides Google Inc, Orkut and YouTube today also filed their written submissions in the court.
Earlier, Facebook, Yahoo India and Microsoft, accused of hosting objectionable contents, had told the court that neither a case was made out against them nor there was any cause of action.
The court had on 20 December last year in a ex parte order, issued summons to 22 social networking websites asking them to remove “anti-religious” or “anti-social” contents from their sites.
The court had also asked the websites to file by 6 February the compliance reports in pursuance of the direction to remove the objectionable contents in the form of photographs, videos or texts which might hurt religious sentiments.
Earlier, Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal had asked the social networking websites to “screen” the contents.
The websites, which have been asked to remove objectionable contents, include Facebook India, Google India, Google Orkut, YouTube, Blogspot, Microsoft India, Microsoft, Zombie Time, Exboii, Boardreader, IMC India, My Lot, Shyni Blog and Topix.
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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.
