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CNN.com launches ’The Forum’ to showcase public opinion on election candidates
MUMBAI: Responding to the intense public interest in the upcoming presidential election in the US and in both the Democratic and Republican national conventions, CNN.com has launched The Forum. This is an online destination for political and social self-expression where the CNN audience can share opinions on the candidates and the election overall, as well as the issues most important to them. |
CNN.com senior VP and executive producer Rena Golden says, “CNN.com’s users are independent thinkers with diverse viewpoints and opinions, and we are delighted to offer a launching point for them to become a bigger part of the global conversation. The Forum will serve as more than a platform to inform our users – it will give our audience a medium and tools to participate and engage in the major issues of today.” As CNN’s latest online community initiative, The Forum will provide CNN.com users with a platform to inform themselves as well as sound off and engage in discussion about issues they deem important this election season and beyond. The Forum provides users with practical, convenient access to the most current election information, including detailed candidate profiles and platforms; examination of salient issues; an extensive video archive allowing users to hear from the candidates in their own words – raw and uncensored; and links to relevant political Web sites and other resources. |
At CNN.com/Forum, users will be provided with simple tools for self-identification, social networking and community-building, including the ability to: The forum builds on CNN’s April launch of the League of First Time Voters. This is a multi-platform programming initiative designed to inform, involve and empower individuals passionate about this election cycle. In addition to the League of First Time Voters, The Forum enables users to identify with like-minded individuals in additional leagues, including the Leagues of Political Junkies, Conservative Voters, Independent Voters and Liberal Voters, all of which were selected by polling the CNN.com audience. From each of the leagues’ respective Web pages, users can educate themselves about the candidates, key issues and the election process in general, as well as use an easy-to-use online voter registration tool from Rock the Vote, a non-partisan organization dedicated to engaging young people in the political process. The tool allows users to download a one-page voter registration form directly from CNN.com, streamlining and simplifying the process for users. Rock the Vote’s tool also automatically follows up with registrants to ensure they complete the voter-registration process and know where and when to vote on Election Day, 4 November 2008. By visiting the League of First Time Voters’ page at www.CNN.com/League, users can access the music video for the leagues’ theme song“Feels Like the First Time” re-recorded by platinum-selling recording artist Daughtry and originally made famous by Foreigner in 1977. The video, created by CNN, includes imagery of first-time voters of all ages, as well as Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on the campaign trail. Online users also are invited to pose questions to CNN’s Best Political Team on Television through video submissions to iReport.com, CNN’s unfiltered user-generated community Web site. |
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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.
