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Video content consumption on computers growing globally: Nielsen
MUMBAI: Watching video content on computers has become just as common as watching video content on television among online consumers, according to Nielsen’s global survey of multi-screen media usage.
More than 80 per cent of Internet respondents in 56 countries reported watching video content at home on a computer (84 per cent) or on TV (83 per cent) at least once a month. By contrast, in 2010, more online consumers reported watching video content on TV (90 per cent) than on a computer (86 per cent) in a month-long period.
While the in-home TV and computer are still the most popular devices to watch video content, usage and growth in online and mobile technologies is making a sustained impact. Three-quarters (74 per cent) of global respondents report watching video via the Internet (on any device), up four points since 2010, and over half of global online consumers (56 per cent) say they watch video on a mobile phone at least once a month and 28 per cent at least once a day.
Mobile video is particularly prominent in Asia-Pacific and Middle East/African regions, where 74 and 72 per cent of online consumers, respectively, report watching video on mobile phones at least once a month, and almost 40 per cent (38 per cent and 37 per cent, respectively) say they do so at least once a day.
While mobile video is currently less prominent in North America than in other parts of the world, it is seeing the highest growth rates in mobile phone video consumption. 38 per cent of North American respondents say they watch mobile video once a month, up eight points compared to the 2010 reported results.
Nielsen senior VP, client insights Dounia Turrill said, “The convenience of mobile connectivity has revolutionised how people are engaging with digital content and each other around the world. With the growth of smartphones, mobile video consumption is on the rise for entertainment content, particularly in emerging markets where many consumers leapfrog home Internet altogether in favour of the all-in-one smartphone.”
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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.
