Applications
OTT video viewing in the US surges by over 30%: Study
MUMBAI: A new report from Knowledge Networks shows “over the top” (OTT) video viewing in the US has grown dramatically in just a year – both streamed and downloaded, on stationary as well as mobile platforms.
Smartphones, videogame consoles, and video rental services are the main drivers of this trend, with Generations X and Y and Baby Boomers all increasing their OTT viewing.
The number of platforms that account for significant video viewing is approaching a dozen. In the 13-to-54 age group, monthly use of an alternative method for viewing TV programmes or movies grew by over one-third in a year, from 26 per cent in 2010 to 35 per cent this year. This includes content streamed or downloaded to view on a TV, computer, laptop, smartphone, iPod Touch, or tablet.
Monthly use of any digital service connected to a TV rose almost 50 per cent during the year — from 13 per cent to 19 per cent — within the 13-to-54 population. The study also found that a number of key metrics have doubled since 2010 for this age group:
The report demonstrates the strong generational differences in OTT viewing; compared to Baby Boomers (ages 46 to 54), Gen Y (ages 13 to 31) is almost four times as likely to report weekly mobile video viewing (30 per cent versus eight per cent), and they are twice as likely to watch streaming video weekly (56 per cent for Gen Y, 28 per cent for Boomers).
Knowledge Networks VP, Group Account Director David Tice said, “The number of platforms that account for significant video viewing is approaching a dozen. This poses a variety of challenges – in measurement, accountability, planning, and targeting. But every challenge contains an opportunity to find new efficiencies in reaching key audiences, adding relevance to ads. Video is increasingly un-tethered, but the core elements of the video experience, and the rich context it provides, remain remarkably intact.”
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.
