Controversial site Ashley Madison is trying to reinvent itself after the massive scandal last year, but it's still facing probes from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
For those unfamiliar with the whole Ashley Madison madness, here's the deal. Ashley Madison is a website dedicated to adultery, facilitating extramarital affairs for tens of millions of people. The site aimed to serve as a safe haven for those looking for discreet hookups, but it wasn't that safe after all.
The site got hacked last summer and its parent company, Avid Media Life, received an ultimatum: either shut down the adultery site or have user account information dumped online for everyone to see. The site continued to operate, so the hackers exposed sensitive information linked to more than 30 million accounts.
That information contained users' login credentials, email addresses, phone numbers, credit card details, as well as more intimate details such as their fetishes, sexual preferences and fantasies.
Needless to mention, the data dump had a huge impact and resulted in countless broken marriages, class-action lawsuits, tarnished reputations and so on.
One year later, Ashley Madison is now looking to reinvent itself and Avid Media Life is pushing for a "total repositioning of all its brands." While the Ashley Madison name will remain unchanged, the site will widen its scope beyond extramarital affairs and operate as an open dating hub.
"A year ago, Avid Life Media was silenced by a devastating, criminal hack that affected our company and some of our members," says Rob Segal, Avid Media Life's newly appointed CEO. "The company is truly sorry for how people's lives and relationships may have been affected by the criminal theft of personal information. That's why we're charting a new course and making some big changes."
The CEO adds that his company has been making heavier investments in security and privacy safeguards and it will continue to do so. At the same time, the company is adding "new, secure and discreet payment options."
The company now wants to offer the "world's most open-minded dating community" and ensures that female bots, known as fembots, are no longer being used and will not be part of the experience. Fembots were nixed in 2014 in North America and in 2015 internationally.
Rebuilding Ashley Madison after the massive scandal from last year is no easy task, but the company says it's poised to make hefty investments in technology, consider acquisitions, partnerships, new ventures and a total rebranding.
If the site's previous slogan was "Life is short, have an affair," now it's moving to include everyone: "Single, attached, looking to explore, or just curious."
As for the FTC probe, the company made no comment on what exactly the FTC is looking into. Segal says he doesn't know what the FTC is focusing on, but Avid Media Life has been cooperating with government regulators since August 2015.
