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MIH Group forays into Indian internet and digital space
MUMBAI: MIH, part of the multinational media group Naspers Limited, is making a foray into the Indian internet and digital space.
“MIH plans to develop internet and mobile applications for the growing online Indian market. India is an attractive market, which is forecast to show strong economic growth going forward. Internet penetration which is currently only at 4.5 per cent is expected to grow rapidly over the next five to ten years offering many opportunities in online communication. MIH seeks to capitalise on these opportunities in the long run by building strong online communication platforms. MIH Internet‘s first office will be based in Gurgaon, Haryana,” said spokesperson for MIH Internet (India) Craig White.
MIH operates pay television and internet subscriber platforms and related technologies in over 50 countries. Its significant operations are located in South Africa, elsewhere in Africa, Brazil, China, Thailand, The Netherlands, Greece and Cyprus. Given the huge growth in the internet and mobile VAS space in India, the group is now planning investments here.
The group would be launching a range of innovative applications in the Indian internet and mobile space. Its aim is to create a personal reference world of entertainment and information, which can be accessed wherever you are, whenever you want.
MIH creates media content, builds brand names around it, and manages the platforms distributing the content. The content is delivered in a variety of forms and through a variety of channels, including television platforms and internet services.
With a view to expand offices across the nation, the group plans to set up its first office in Gurgaon and hire talent for various functions ranging from engineering, R&D, technology, creative, marketing, sales, support etc.
The MIH group is exploring media opportunities in emerging markets where strong economic growth is expected. Within emerging markets the specific focus is on the BRICSA countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.
In China, the group has an investment in the pioneer instant messaging platform, Tencent, which is a developer and operator of innovative real-time communication and online entertainment technologies and services. Tencent‘s instant messaging product, QQ, processes more than three billion messages every day and is one of the top 10 portals globally.
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.
