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Govt fully backs freedom of expression for online media: Sibal
NEW DELHI: Communication and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal has reiterated that the country is ‘wedded to the freedom of expression’.
Delivering the keynote address at the Google Big Tent Activate summit here, he underlined that the Internet is the most important and transformative forum. Underlining the power of the internet as a most inclusive medium, as there are no borders on the net, he stated we must move slowly but surely towards making internet the equinet.
Sibal underlined the three important points for making the internet a truly empowering, transformational and inclusive force. He said from the point of view of the State, “we must have an enabling framework and rules and regulations must not come in the way of the growth of the net”. Secondly, he said networks in terms of fibre-optics and also wireless must be developed to facilitate access to the net. Thirdly, he said affordable access devices are needed for a true inclusive transformational internet revolution. Sibal also said that it will be truly transformative, if through the internet, we can reach people in their traditional languages.
Google’s Big Tent Activate Summit aims to address questions like: Can India gain a global competitive edge by enabling the full economic potential of the Internet?; Will the Internet dilute Indian culture, or can it help preserve and share it locally and globally?; How is the Internet already changing the democratic process, and what will happen as many more constituents come online? The debate has become relevant in the wake of India‘s growing online population.
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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.
