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China.com forms strategic partnership with Google
MUMBAI: China.com Inc., an online game, mobile value added services and internet services provider operating principally in China, and a 77 percent-owned subsidiary of CDC Corporation, has formed a strategic partnership with Google.
Under the agreement, Google will provide search engine technology for China.com to support searches of its English and traditional Chinese content by its users in China.
Leveraging on its unique and valuable URL and the attractive demographics of its core user base, China.com has launched a group of websites focused on various countries and regions to help global businesses access the increasing affluent consumers in China, one of the fastest growing consumer markets in the world. The proposed partnership will be one of the most comprehensive partnerships between Google and a China internet portal since Google entered the China market, states an official release.
The partnership with Google is expected to further enhance the user experience for China.com‘s expanding base of domestic and international users, and is another demonstration of the company‘s strategy to grow its user base by continuously upgrading its services and introducing new and compelling products. To maximize the benefits of the partnership, China.com and Google will cooperate across several areas including branding, content and advertising operations, adds the release.
“China.com firmly believes that this partnership between the world‘s premier search company and one of China‘s leading portals with over 5 million daily users is a perfect fit. By harnessing Google‘s innovative technology to China.com‘s deep understanding of the China market, we can rapidly expand the user base and generate new revenue opportunities for both companies,” says China.com executive director & CFO Dr. Xiaowei Chen.
“China is a key area of focus for Google and we are rapidly expanding our presence and operations in this important market. We are excited about our partnership with China.com and we expect our current partnership to bring significant strategic benefits. We are also looking forward to exploring with China.com further areas where our companies cooperate,” states Google president of Sales and Business Development for Greater China Johnny Chou.
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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.
