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IAMAI to kick off India Digital Summit on 18 January
MUMBAI: The Internet And Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), flagship event, the India Digital Summit is slated to kick off on 18 January in New Delhi. The summit will consist of a two day event.
According to an official release, the first day will focus on Internet and will address issues such as “What will drive the growth of Internet in India?, How to leverage Internet to E-nable businesses?, Is youth the driving force behind Internet?” |
Meanwhile, day two will throw light on topics related to “Mobile Value Added Services (VAS) such as What makes a successful mobile marketing company in India?, How can mobile VAS be source of critical Information and Interactivity?, Will mobile payments change the rules of transaction?, Is the policy environment right for MVAS Industry?” Commenting on the need for a Digital Summit president Dr.Subho Ray said, “The Summit this year will focus on two distinct areas: internet and related issues of current and future policies, communications tools and commerce; and mobile devices and connected issues of mobile value added services over two days”. |
Much like last year, the Summit in 2007 would also have an array of speakers including: – People Group chairman Anupam Mittal |
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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.
