Applications
India top 3 nation in web-connected TV usage: Study
MUMBAI: People in markets such as China, Brazil and India better exploit the opportunities offered by web-connected television, compared to countries such as the UK, US and Germany, according to research carried out across 13 countries by GfK‘s consumer research experts.
The study found that western consumers are stuck in an ‘analogue‘ mindset, whereas viewers in emerging markets are more likely to embrace the digital capabilities of Connected TV.
GfK research shows that a far higher proportion of Chinese, Korean and Indian consumers have used the functionalities of Smart TV in the past months, compared to those in Western markets.
GfK‘s findings show that ‘Social TV‘ has yet to fully take off. Globally, just 28 per cent of viewers said that they found programmes that they can interact with to be more interesting to watch. And just 25 per cent thought that tweeting and commenting on programmes ‘enhances the viewing experience‘.
Viewers in countries such as China, Brazil and India are more motivated by programmes they can interact with than those in markets such as the UK, US and Germany.
Connected TV | usage |
|---|---|
China | 44% |
S. Korea | 18% |
India | 17% |
Brazil | 14% |
Turkey | 13% |
UK | 11% |
USA | 11% |
Mexico | 11% |
Spain | 8% |
Germany | 8% |
Belgium | 6% |
Russia | 5% |
Netherlands | 5% |
Richard Preedy at GfK said: “Our findings suggest that broadcasters need to integrate their social elements far more engagingly into the fabric of the programme, in order to entice the viewer‘s interaction.”
Across all markets, the ability to connect to the internet is less important than price, screen size and display technology, when buying a new TV. But the West is more indifferent than the emerging markets, with only 26 per cent of UK and 29 per cent of US consumers saying they look out for a net enabled set, compared to 61 per cent in India and 64 per cent in China.
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.
