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Ashley Madison banned in Singapore, founder Noel Biderman: ‘decision is counter to open-minded nature of Singapore and its citizens’

Ashley Madison: planned to launch in Singapore this month

Ashley Madison: planned to launch in Singapore this month

Marital affairs dating site Ashley Madison has said that the Singapore government’s decision to ban the site goes against the “accepting and open-minded nature of Singapore and its diverse citizens”.

The decision to ban the site, which was slated to launch this month, emerged late on Friday.

The Media Development Authority said in a statement that it has blocked access to the site because it shows “flagrant disregard of our family values and public morality”.

In social media, critics suggested that the government had blocked the site because it was unable to make money from it.

Noel Biderman, CEO and Founder, AshleyMadison.com, said in a statement: “Contrary to what has been stated by the MDA, AshleyMadison.com does not aggressively promote extra-marital affairs.”

“We provide a platform and social network for like-minded adults that cannibalizes an already existing behavior pattern; AshleyMadison.com is no different than other dating sites currently operating in Singapore.”

“In fact, the initial positive response that we have received from the citizens of Singapore has been tremendous. We are clearly addressing a demand that exists in Singapore as we have already received 82,298 unique new visitors to our website in the last 30 days alone, and in advance of the official launch, he said.

Ashley Madison pointed to statistics that showed that Singapore is a “world leader for its unfaithfulness”; Singaporean women rank as the 5th most unfaithful women in the world, according to a study of 29,000 women in 36 countries by condom maker Durex.

The brand argued that there is no clear evidence to suggest that there has been an increase in the rates of adultery since the introduction of digital media services such as its own.

Biderman added: “Clearly the interest and appetite for adulterous behavior exists in Singapore. But, without the benefits of a site like AshleyMadison.com, Singaporeans are left to look for affairs in all the wrong places i.e., the office, friends, etc.”

“The perfect affair is actually one wherein the unfaithful party maintains the secretive nature of their extramarital encounter and thereby preserves their marriage through their undiscovered affair,” he said.

Prominent Singaporean blogger Kirsten Han told Mumbrella: “I think [the decision to ban Ashley Madison] pretty stupid and as someone who believes in internet freedom. It’s just another example of the nanny state encroaching into the online space. I don’t think the government should have been bothered with [Ashley Madison] at all.”

Ashley Madison had been searching for a PR agency to handle publicity around the launch.

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