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‘Oscar Backstage Pass’ app launched for iPad, iPhone, iPod
MUMBAI: iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users can get the ultimate insider‘s view of the 83rd Annual Academy Awards(R) with the new Oscar Backstage Pass App, now available on the App Store.
The Oscar Backstage Pass app, a collaborative effort between the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Disney/ABC TV Group‘s Digital Media team, is being pushed as a companion app for viewers watching the Oscar telecast.
In India the shows airs on 28 February on Star Movies at 6:30 am.
Users will have access to live video streams from a multitude of cameras, allowing special behind-the-scenes access throughout the night‘s events. They will be able to choose their own video experience on the red carpet and inside the ceremony with live video coverage extending through the Governors Ball, the Academy‘s celebration immediately following the Academy Awards(R).
Disney/ABC Television Group executive VP, digital media Albert Cheng said, “The Backstage Pass App is one of the many ways that we are using digital technology to redefine the Oscar experience this year. Together with the Academy, we‘re excited to be able to lower the ‘velvet rope‘ and offer viewers new ways to be a part of Hollywood‘s biggest night. We wanted to offer an experience to viewers that allows them to feel like they‘re there with their favorite nominees and be able to see the stars mingle at this prestigious event.”
The Oscar Backstage Pass App is available for $0.99 from the App Store on iPad at www.itunes.com/appstore. The new App complements this year‘s interactive features on Oscar.com, the official online home of the 83rd Annual Academy Awards.
The site invites viewers to participate in the most interactive Oscar Night in history, providing unprecedented coverage and access to the Oscars from nominations morning to the glamorous red carpet, into the Kodak Theatre, backstage, and culminating at the Academy‘s official post-ceremony celebration, the Governors Ball.
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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.
