Despite the abundance of new true crime content available this month, one particular topic has garnered significant interest, and it does not involve serial killers or homicide. Instead, it delves into the realm of digital cheating.
Ashley Madison, the dating website launched in the early 2000s, has become synonymous with this world. The site’s target audience is married individuals seeking extramarital affairs, as boldly stated by its slogan, “Life is short. Have an affair.”
Despite being a source of disagreement, the company faced significant problems in 2015 when it was the victim of a data breach.
The True Story of Netflix’s Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal
In 2015, The Impact Team, a hacking group, exposed the Ashley Madison scandal by releasing data from around 32 million users. This included personal information such as names, profiles, addresses, and payment information.
The group had issued a previous ultimatum to parent company Ruby Corp, formerly known as Avid Life Media, demanding the shutdown of Ashley Madison and its sister site Established Men. In a statement released at the time, The Impact Group alleged that Ashley Madison was a fraudulent site with numerous fabricated female profiles.
The Impact Team leaked Ashley Madison users’ data after the site wasn’t taken down
When Ruby was unsuccessful in taking down its sites, the hackers released a series of leaks on the dark web in July and August, leading to widespread consequences such as strained marriages and damaged reputations. Former ALM Chief Executive Noel Biderman acknowledged the hack, confirming to KrebsonSecurity in July 2015 that “We are not denying the occurrence of this event. Regardless of whether you like us or not, this is still a criminal act.”
The Impact Team justified their hacks by stating that ALM was profiting from the suffering of others. However, their goal was also to expose flaws in a service that allowed members to pay an extra $19 to completely delete their profile information.
“According to the group, Full Delete generated $1.7mm in revenue for ALM in 2014. However, the group also claims that this information is false. They state that users typically use credit cards for payments and their personal details, including their real name and address, are not actually deleted as promised. This personal information is crucial for users and they expect it to be removed.”
In addition to causing families to separate and damaging reputations, the data breach resulted in certain users being subject to extortion, even long after the incident occurred. In 2019, Vade Secure uncovered a scam in which emails were sent to multiple victims of the Ashley Madison scandal, demanding a Bitcoin ransom to prevent their personal information from being shared with loved ones.
The aftermath of the breach sparked discussions about internet privacy, cybersecurity, and the ethical implications of websites like Ashley Madison. Concerns were raised about the effectiveness of the site’s security protocols and its treatment of user information, highlighting the risks associated with online platforms that guarantee anonymity and confidentiality for their users.
According to Vade Secure, the recent Ashley Madison extortion scam serves as a prime example of how a data breach is an ongoing issue. Beyond being sold on the dark web, leaked data is often utilized for further email-based attacks, including phishing attempts and other scams.
According to Reuters, the parent company of Ashley Madison also suffered a significant loss of revenue, amounting to nearly 25%. In addition to settling a probe by the US Federal Trade Commission for $1.6 million, Ruby also agreed to pay $11.2 million to resolve a 2016 class action lawsuit filed by several victims of the data breach.
Ashley Madison: Still in Business?
Despite previous controversies, Ashley Madison remains operational. As of the end of 2020, the company announced an increase in its membership count to 70 million users worldwide.
In August 2015, ALM’s CEO Noel Biderman announced his resignation, stating that it was “in the best interest of the company.”The company underwent a rebranding the following year, changing its name to Ruby Corp. However, the most significant alteration was the replacement of Ashley Madison’s well-known tagline “Life is short. Have an affair”with “Find your moment.”
Ashley Madison reversed its brand change
In the same year, Rob Segal replaced Biderman and expressed his vision to transform the company into a modern and customer-centric digital dating innovator.
In 2017, Paul Keable became the CEO of Ruby Corp, leading to the reversal of Ashley Madison’s brand change. The brand’s original image, featuring a woman holding a finger to her mouth with the tagline “Life is short. Have an affair,”has now returned to the forefront.
Understanding Netflix’s Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal
In addition to documenting the ups and downs of Ashley Madison as a company, the Netflix documentary Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal will feature interviews with multiple former employees and clients. It will also provide a fresh perspective on the initial allure of the site for its users.
During a conversation with Netflix regarding the docu-series, director Toby Paton stated, “We are all aware of the damaging and painful effects of infidelity, but the fact that Ashley Madison had 37 million members also highlights another truth we all know – that staying committed to one person for a lifetime is a challenging task.”
Instead of criticizing those who joined Ashley Madison, our focus was on understanding why they were attracted to the site. We wanted to discover their motives and what they were seeking. Furthermore, we were interested in uncovering the dynamics of their relationships and importantly, their partner’s perspective.
Mark your calendars for May 15, 2024, when the highly anticipated documentary, Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal, will be released on Netflix. Don’t forget to also browse the list of new TV shows and movies joining the streaming platform this month to add to your watchlist.
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