Applications
Adobe highlights video advances at IBC
MUMBAI: At the 2009 IBC tradeshow in Amsterdam, Adobe is showcasing advances in next-generation video and dynamic media software technologies that provide integrated, end-to-end workflows for broadcasters and media companies. Highlights of the show include the public beta of Adobe Story software, a new online and offline collaborative script development tool that begins the planning and pre-production phase of video workflows, as well as the introduction to Adobe Flash Access 2.0 software, a content protection solution that enables the distribution and monetisation of premium content, which can create new sources of revenue for media publishers. Adobe VP, GM Dynamic Media Jim Guerard says, “Adobe continues to innovate and streamline video workflows from script to screen. We are committed to helping customers succeed by making their workflows more efficient, their audience experiences more compelling and their business models more profitable.” Guerard adds, “From content creation to delivery and playback, Adobe and its broadcast and media customers are leading the industry and revolutionizing how the digital video industry creates and consumes rich media.” Charting the future of streamlined video workflows, the company states that it is providing new ways for customers to create more engaging customer experiences and build business around media assets. Beginning at the planning and pre-production phase of the video workflow, Adobe Story – now available on Adobe Labs – streamlines video production workflows by automatically turning content in scripts into relevant metadata that can be used throughout the Adobe digital video workflow. Once the content is created and ready for delivery, Flash Access 2.0 – previously Flash Media Rights Management Server – offers a new scalable, flexible content protection solution that enables the expansion, distribution and monetisation of premium content. In addition to offering new software technologies, Adobe is highlighting how some of the world’s top media companies continue to stretch and reinvent dynamic media workflows utilising Adobe’s end-to-end video workflows to expand their audiences, help build their businesses and showcase content in new ways.
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.
