Key Takeaways

Ashley Madison is taking privacy to the next level by providing what today’s online daters crave above all: anonymity. 

The site’s new Discreet View Mode with Blurred Profiles aims to boost privacy by blurring out profiles and profile photos, and giving the user the power to choose when, and if, they share their identity with another user. 

Anonymity may seem incongruent with online dating, where the ultimate goal is to forge authentic relationships. But it is an especially valuable commodity on Ashley Madison, the hookup site with the memorable slogan, “Life is short. Have an affair.” 

“At Ashley Madison, discretion isn’t just a feature; it’s our foundation,” Emily Carter, Chief Product Officer at Ashley Madison, said in a press release. “With this new feature, we’re redefining what privacy means on hookup sites by giving users the power to control who sees them and when.” 

And for Ashley Madison and other nontraditional dating and hookup sites, constantly innovating to improve privacy protections is the best way to establish user loyalty. “It’s about building trust and confidence in the pursuit of casual, judgment-free connections,” Carter explained. 

Ashley Madison Puts Control Back in Users’ Hands 

Funnily enough, Ashley Madison may understand the value of trust better than other platforms. 

The hookup site has been rebuilding user trust ever since the 2015 data breach that exposed the personal information of millions of its users. Nowadays, the rise of scammers and catfish have made privacy even more valuable. 

In 2023, the IAPP’s Privacy and Consumer Trust report found that 68% of global consumers are “somewhat or very concerned about their privacy online.” And this isn’t specific to dating platforms or to a site like Ashley Madison, which specifically facilitates taboo relationships where privacy is crucial. 

“As digital footprints become more permanent, users increasingly favour platforms that prioritize confidentiality,” according to Ashley Madison’s press release. “Hookup sites that offer anonymous browsing, secure communication, and profile privacy are seen as more trustworthy and appealing in today’s privacy-conscious environment.”

As a result of today’s “privacy-conscious environment,” dating apps are regularly improving privacy protections. Some apps, including Tinder, Hinge, Feeld, and Bumble, offer Incognito Modes, though it’s a paid feature in some cases.

Feeld also has a “Hide Me On Feeld” setting, and Bumble’s Snooze Mode hides the user’s account until they’re ready to reactivate it. 

But the anonymity offered on Ashley Madison takes privacy protections to new heights. By giving users complete control over their visibility, they’re also giving them free reign to explore their desires and identities. 

For many, this level of control opens the door to untold new desires — and to behavioral risks. 

Anonymity May Be the (Ironic) Future of Online Dating 

Anonymity is a double-edged sword, especially on a dating site that celebrates unconventional — perhaps even taboo — connections. It’s only natural to question whether anonymity will inevitably lead to bad behavior. 

But for Ashley Madison, providing a protective atmosphere that welcomes unconventional, but likeminded, connections is the real goal. The hope is that anonymity will make people feel empowered, not power-hungry. 

Ashley Madison’s Discreet View Mode with Blurred Profiles takes an important step toward a future in which all dating platforms will strive for a hands-off approach to dating and the user has all the power. 

“Analysts predict that future generations, particularly Gen Z and the emerging Gen Alpha, will increasingly favour platforms that prioritize consent, customization, and control over conventional dating norms,” according to the company’s press release. 

It’s true that Gen Z tends to prioritize consent and personalization on dating platforms. Daters of all ages want to avoid scammers. Allowing users anonymity may be key to leveling the playing field between scammers and online daters. 

Innovative privacy tools increasingly speak to a growing desire for anonymity among daters with different desires, something Ashley Madison also emphasized in the press release. “As digital intimacy becomes more nuanced, the industry will focus on creating secure, adaptable environments for modern relationship seekers.”

Privacy may be a no-brainer for Ashley Madison users, but its security innovations mark a bold path forward for the whole dating industry. Giving users the option of full anonymity gives them unprecedented power over their impact as online daters.