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NBC rolls out social media game
MUMBAI: US broadcaster NBC has unveilled Mission: Chuck Me Out, a new social media game designed to reward fans who help spread the word about the network‘s returning series Chuck by using social networking sites.
The grand-prize winner of the new Chuck online game will have a photo of themselves featured in an upcoming episode as part of a Chuck “flash” – along with additional prizes.
NBC Entertainment Marketing president Adam Stotsky says, “The fans of Chuck have been incredibly passionate and supportive of the show. We want to reward this loyalty and activate further social conversation about the new season.”
The third season of Chuck debuts on 10 January next year with all-new missions and an action-packed, two-hour premiere before the series — starring Zachary Levi in the title role moves to its regular day and time on Mondays from 11 January 2010.
On the show Chuck Bartowski is a computer geek, works at a Buy More electronics store. He unwittingly becomes the government‘s most vital secret agent.
The game – which will run from December 10 through March 8, 2010 – is designed to reward the extremely active online Chuck fan base. It will tap into the power of social networking to spread the word for both the new season of “Chuck” as well as the abundance of Chuck-related features on NBC.com.
To play the game, fans can log on to www.chuckmeout.com, a site launched by NBC.com in July (and announced at last summer‘s Comic-Con) that is completely dedicated to the fans of ‘Chuck‘.
Users can sign up with their existing Facebook, MySpace and Twitter log-ins. Players will then receive points for taking various Chuck-based actions within those social networks. For example, if a user becomes a fan of the “Chuck” Facebook Fan Page (www.facebook.com/chuck), then they will earn points.
Other ways that fans can rack up points include mentioning ‘Chuck‘ on the user‘s Twitter account or getting their friends to click on a link to watch full episodes of ‘Chuck‘ on NBC.com.
In addition, there will be daily tasks that offer users additional opportunities to earn points by linking to specific Chuck videos, articles or other ‘Chuck‘ related promotions. Every one of their friends who click on that link earns the player additional points thus encouraging them to spread the word.
The fan with the most points at the completion of the game will receive the grand prize and will see their photo featured in ‘Chuck‘.
Additionally, fans that reach a base level of points will be eligible to win additional prizing such as a second season DVD of ‘Chuck‘ autographed by title star Levi.
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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.
