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Govts. of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata still mum on Cas extension
NEW DELHI: An announcement about extension of conditional access system (Cas) to other parts of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata will have to wait for some more time, with the governments and administrations of the three metros still not responding to the information and broadcasting ministry’s request for their assessments on the experience of implementation. |
A senior I&B ministry official told Indiantelevision.com that though CAS was functioning effectively in the entire Chennai city and in the southern parts of the other three metros, the chief secretaries of the three metros had not sent in their responses despite a reminder just over three weeks earlier. The official said the representatives of the three metros had been asked to indicate the time-frame for extension of Cas, if agreed to. |
In fact, the representatives of the three metros had given their assurances to the ministry in a meeting on June five about extending Cas to other areas, but the official said there appeared to be some reluctance. Ministry officials asked the representatives from the metros to express their opinion on whether they wanted extension of Cas in the respective entire city, or would prefer a phase-wise implementation. The state-level officials wanted the issue to be discussed first at the level of the local or state government. |
| Even if positive reports are sent to the ministry within the next few weeks, the matter will then go to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) and discussions will also have to be held with all the stakeholders including organizations of broadcasters, cable operators, consumer bodies, and eminent citizens. A final decision could therefore take several weeks even after the receipt of reactions of officials of the three cities. Trai had in fact held a meeting early this month with stakeholders and representatives of the metros about extension of Cas. While the entire city of Chennai has been covered under Cas, the system was partially implemented in the other three metros from 31 December last. |
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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.
