Applications
Nick to offer SpongeBob SquarePants’ games widget
MUMBAI: US kids broadcaster Nickelodeon and US telecom service provider Verizon have announced an interactive widget that allows viewers to play SpongeBob SquarePants-themed games while watching Nickelodeon shows.
Exclusive to subscribers with both Verizon Fiox TV and Internet, the widget delivers a series of four games that can be downloaded for free from Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, and the Verizon Fios TV Application Storefront.
MTV Networks VP of strategy and business operations, content distribution and marketing Peter Dolchin said, “Verizon is a fantastic partner and the SpongeBob SquarePants games widget is a great opportunity for us to provide single-screen interactive entertainment for their customers. This innovative platform allows fans to further engage with one of their favorite characters in a way that complements their Nickelodeon viewing experience.”
Subscribers can access the free widget by tuning in to Nickelodeon or Nicktoons and clicking the ‘Fios TV‘ button on the remote control when the interactive bug appears. Once opened, the games appear on the left-hand side of the screen and customers can choose from the list.
Customers can also play the games any time by clicking on the ‘Widgets‘ button on the Fios TV remote control, selecting ‘Fiox TV Widgets‘ and selecting the Nick Games icon under the featured category. Subscribers can select from among the four available SpongeBob games. All game play is controlled using the directional keys on the Fios TV remote.
Verizon VP of content and programming Terry Denson said, “Verizon‘s advanced networks deliver the connected technologies that have become essential to people‘s lives. We are excited to partner with Nickelodeon and offer the first branded kids games, exclusive to FiOS TV customers.”
SpongeBob SquarePants widget games include:
- Build-a-Bob- This allows viewers to create their own new and unique SpongeBob characters by choosing from a selection of features and body parts of show characters.
- “SpongeBob ShufflePants” – This is a puzzle game that requires rearranging the sequence of shuffled image columns or “slices” until the proper sequence is obtained.
- “Under My Rock” – This challenges users to find visual duplicates or matches among several image tiles of SpongeBob-themed icons.
- “X Marks the Spot” – This is a nautical Tic-Tac-Toe game that can be played versus the TV or in two-player mode with two degrees of difficulty.
Nickelodeon worked with Ensequence, an interactive
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.
