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American Idol online auditions kick off on MySpace
MUMBAI: In celebration of the music-based reality show American Idol’s 10th anniversary season, 19 Entertainment FremantleMedia North America and US boradcaster Fox have partnered with MySpace for the show’s audition process.
Till 6 October, hopefuls between the ages of 15 and 28 will have the opportunity to submit an audition video exclusively on MySpace at www.myspace.com/americanidol.
Entrants should demonstrate their singing ability by performing one of the songs from the approved list a cappella. Videos are limited to 40 seconds in length, and are limited to one submission per person. Auditions will be judged in a similar fashion to the live audition cities and a select number will advance to the next round of callbacks in Los Angeles.
Fans will be able to share the videos across various networks and watch highlights in a special gallery on the MySpace page.
MySpace Music president Courtney Holt says, “American Idol has established itself as the largest stage to find and elevate new artists. Marrying this year’s auditions with MySpace, a platform renowned for discovering new talent, allows the show to broaden its reach online in the search for Season 10 hopefuls.”
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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.
