Applications
BBC’s mobile apps do not require public value scrutiny
MUMBAI: The BBC Trust has concluded that plans to launch dedicated BBC smartphone applications (Apps) for BBC News, Sport and iPlayer do not require further scrutiny through a Public Value Test (PVT).
The Trust‘s assessment looked at the BBC‘s plans in four areas: the potential impact of the proposed Apps, the financial implications, whether Apps would involve the BBC in a new area of untested activity, and the duration of the proposed Apps.
The Trustees concluded that on impact BBC Apps were likely have a positive impact on users by providing easier access to online content, but would not provide any new content.
In response to industry concerns, the Trust also considered that that there would be some overlap between the BBC Apps and free Apps, but that impacts may not necessarily be large; particularly as BBC content was currently available to mobile users through their phone‘s web browser, that a wide range of high-quality free Apps are already available and that users may choose to access a range of Apps and online content. The degree of overlap with premium or paid Apps was also expected to be lower.
The estimated cost of developing Apps is less than 1 per cent of the current BBC Online budget – substantially less than the 10 per cent threshold at which specific Trust approval and a change to the BBC Online service licence may be required.
Considering these factors together, Trustees concluded that the Apps would not represent a significant change to the BBC‘s existing Public Services and that a Public Value Test is, therefore, not required. The Trust also expects the BBC to make its Apps available on other operating systems as soon as possible on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms.
BBC Trustee Diane Coyle, who led the review, says, “The Apps market is rapidly taking off as more people choose to get their news, sport and other online content while they‘re on the move. The Trust has a duty to represent the interests of licence fee payers, who will increasingly expect to access BBC content in this way, but also to listen to concerns raised by industry. In this case we have concluded that while the Apps market is developing quickly and we will monitor the launch of BBC Apps, a PVT is not required.”
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.
