Applications
coto’s 24/7 live consultation, a new frontier to empower and support women users
Mumbai: Digital media has become an important part of people’s lives, allowing them to stay connected, learn, seek advice, and monetize. To meet this demand, coto, a social community app for women, having more than 7000 vibrant communities with over 1 million conversations, has introduced live consultations on its platform. This new offering aims to encourage women users to seek knowledge and guidance from experts on diverse topics, creating a supportive environment to connect experts from different walks of life.
coto’s live consultation which integrates the AI-powered Q&A feature, enables women users to take 1:1 sessions using live chat, audio, and video features with the experts, combining community support with digital convenience. This progression and enhancement of engagement beyond communities offers a range of exclusive benefits without being limited by geographic boundaries. Users will have 24*7 access to expert guidance across time zones on taboo topics like mental health & wellness, relationships, astrology, and tarot, amongst others.
To experience the value of expert advice, users can also avail of initial free sessions, and conveniently pay for live consultations through coto wallets. coto’s unique Pay Only When Happy allows users to pay for consultations only when they are satisfied with the services. This policy encourages users to seek help without worrying about financial risks. Maintaining a strong emphasis on privacy and safety, coto caters to the confidentiality and security of users by providing an option to join the live session anonymously.
Expressing her excitement around the launch, coto co-founder Aparna Acharekar stated, “At coto, our commitment is to always empower women by providing a safe and unbiased online space, free from any judgment. Our new live consultation feature further reinforces this commitment by offering 24×7 expert guidance and support whenever needed. With this launch, we aim to address women’s challenges, foster growth and promote entrepreneurship within a supportive community.”
Commenting on the announcement, coto chief technology officer Zeebee Siwiec said, “Furthering its commitment towards enhancing user experience and boosting engagement on the platform, coto is addressing specific and personal challenges of users by combining community support with expert consultations through AI-driven solutions. By using large language models, the app is identifying individual challenges, efficiently matching them with tailored services, and continually improving the quality of consultations. With a focus on advanced new age tools like LLMs and Vector Stores, coto uplifts the nature of content, conversations, and consultations, making the social community platform a more interactive and expressive user interface.”
Expressing her excitement, coto chief astrologer Dr. Gunja Mehta Ahuja said, “With the launch of live consultation, interest among women in the age group of 25-45 is being witnessed. They are majorly seeking advice about their relationships, marriage, finances, and careers, amongst others. This showcase of enthusiastic participation indicates that it’s paving the way for success for coto.”
Adding on to that, coto chief psychologist Dr Mona Gujral said, “The live consultations on coto will help women better understand the different kinds of issues women across the country face. Having kickstarted live consultations, the commonly asked questions so far have revolved around relationships and marriage. During my sessions, while multiple interactions take place with women who engage, the conversations tend to be beneficial and enlightening for those merely attending, too. This gives them the courage to open up about their own struggles, along with the hope that help is available out there, should they ever need it.”
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.
