Odd News
Have an affair, Aussie dating website shouts
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-04-12 16:43
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SYDNEY: A controversial dating website, which has been the target of community anger in the US, was launched in Australia on Monday.
The online service, Ashley Madison, with the slogan "Life is short, have an affair", is specifically designed to help married people initiate secret sexual liaisons with other adulterers.
Canadian Noel Biderman, the infidelity website's founder, said he is simply cashing in on what he believes is the "evolving" institution of marriage.
"Marriage is kind of looked at as this institution that never changes, but that's just not accurate," he said at the launch.
"When something is not in our DNA, and monogamy is surely not in our DNA, then you can't help but wonder if it isn't on its last legs.
"Me just being an entrepreneur has seized on that opportunity and gotten out in front of it and has a chance to make a good living from that."
The website was first launched in Canada in 2001 and slowly expanded to the U.K. and the US.
Members can sign up for free, build a profile describing their appearance and what they are looking for.
They then buy "credits", priced between A$49 and 249 (US$45 and 231), to communicate with other users.
Biderman noted it is mostly men who use the service and the majority of users are not looking for new relationships.
"I think ultimately for men this is about sex," he said.
"This is about an absence of sex in their lives or sex being too vanilla and they're looking for different flavors."
