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Trai suggests NIC to handle unwanted telemarketing calls
NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has proposed that the National Do Not Call Registry (NDNC) suggested by it to curb unwanted telemarketing calls should be implemented through the National Informatics Centre. Minister of state for communications and information technology Dr. Shakeel Ahmad said that the Trai proposal had been made in a draft regulation on 23 April on the basis of stakeholders‘ responses to a consultation process for finding a solution to restrict unsolicited commercial communication to subscribers who do not want such calls, internal discussions and international practices. |
Dr Ahmad said keeping the concerns of their consumers in mind, mobile service providers have already introduced a “Do not Disturb” facility for subscribers who do not wish to receive information on product and services of their mobile service provider. TRAI has advised the mobile subscribers through advertisements in leading newspapers to use this facility. While announcing the NDNC, TRAI had said it would declare this effective only after some of the specific provisions not strictly in the domain of TRAI get clearance from the |
In its Regulation, the Authority has mandated the telecom service providers to set up a mechanism to receive requests from subscribers who do not want to receive UCC. The service providers will maintain a Private Do Not Call List, which will include telephone numbers and other details of all such subscribers. This Regulation can only become effective after the DoT recognises NIC as the agency to set up and maintain the NDNC and also implement the proposed modifications in the license conditions of the Telecom Service Providers and in the guidelines for Other Service Providers. |
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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.
