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IT minister advises BSNL to re-examine GSM tenders
NEW DELHI: Assuring employees of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) that their interests would be fully protected, Union Communications and Information Technology minister A Raja said that he advised BSNL to re-examine the GSM tenders as he had found some discrepancies in processing these. Describing the one-day strike by the Joint Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations of Non-executives and Executives as unwarranted, a statement issued by the ministry said the proposal for procurement of 45.5 million lines for 2G and 3G expansion of BSNL had been examined by the minister. The ministry noted that the strike had put the customers into unwanted hardship, and the minister expressed his unhappiness over the strike despite his best efforts and assurances to the Joint Forum.
Raja had met representatives of the Joint Forum for two days on Monday and Tuesday to allay their apprehensions and explained the reasons for his advice to BSNL.
Furthermore, the ministry said the telecom secretary had assured the Forum that BSNL will give its response to all the queries raised within a week’s time. The interest of BSNL will be protected, appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that BSNL does not suffer due to lack of network capacity during the intervening period till receipt of supplies under the tender, and serious efforts will be made so that BSNL remains in full readiness to utilize the benefits of technological evolution in 2G/3G/WiMAX.
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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.
