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Comcast unveils ‘Constant Guard’ net security programme
MUMBAI: US cable company Comcast has put the finishing touches on its security programme designed to help protect its high-speed Internet customers from bots, viruses and other online threats. |
Called Constant Guard, the programme is the culmination of a multi-year effort to assemble a dedicated team of security professionals, implement best-in-class security software and create a Security Web portal (www.comcast.net/security) of consumer resources to protect customers from increasingly sophisticated online security threats. Comcast senior VP, GM online services Mitch Bowling says, “The Constant Guard Security Program is the result of many years of working to assemble the right people, technologies and resources to help ensure our customers are protected from hackers and bots in real-time.” As part of this effort, starting today in Denver, Comcast will begin to trial an in-browser notification Service Notice, which will alert customers whose computers appear to be infected with a bot (or virus) and request that they go to the Anti-Virus Center and follow a set of instructions to assist with removing the bot from their computer and thereby prevent it from spreading to other users. This feature and the other components of the Constant Guard Security program are provided for no additional charge to Comcast High-Speed Internet customers. According to Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG) executive director Jerry Upton, “The new Comcast safeguards are in line with industry best practices to help ISPs assist customers whose machines have been infected with malware. By deploying the technology to detect bots on their subscribers’ computers, Comcast is providing a service to their customers and contributing to safer messaging.” The Constant Guard Security Program comprises three core components: * A dedicated Customer Security Assurance (CSA) team of highly skilled security professionals that proactively contact customers to respond to issues relating to bots, malware and infected PCs, as well as other related security issues. * Technology and software including: Comcast Toolbar includes spyware detection and removal, a pop-up ad blocker and anti-phishing software. Technology deployed within the Comcast network and designed to help fight spam, phishing attacks and viruses. Partners include Bizanga, Cloudmark, Goodmail CertifiedEmail, and Return Path, as well as the use of blocklists from Spamhaus and TrendMicro™. |
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.
