Husbands and wives take note: If Valentine's Day expectations aren't met, your mate might soon be looking elsewhere for a little romance and appreciation.
That may sound like a cautionary tale, but for Noel Biderman and others who have founded dating websites for married people, it's a lucrative business.
"The day after Valentine's Day is one of our biggest days of the year," says Biderman, founder and CEO of Ashley Madison, a 10-year-old site that unapologetically caters to "discreet" encounters for the married or otherwise attached. "People are disappointed by their spouses' lack of effort, and they feel especially undervalued when there is a societal expectation of romance. Certain days of the year act as litmus tests for many people in relationships."
Websites designed to facilitate cheating appear to be thriving; some earn tens of millions of dollars a year, and competition is growing. In addition to Toronto-based Ashley Madison, there's a growing crop of copycats that equate affairs with romance, passion and adventure. Whether these sites promote cheating or just facilitate it is up for debate. Some of the sites are also based in Europe and increasingly have become international, with their eye on the USA.
"American people are really hypocrites about infidelity," says Teddy Truchot, co-founder of Gleeden, which launched in Europe in 2009, moved into Australia and entered the U.S. market last fall. Its headquarters are in New York, and it plans to start an ad campaign here March 1. "Everything from the U.S. which comes to Europe is about infidelity," says Truchot, 29, who moved to Los Angeles two years ago from Paris. "You see cheating all over TV and in real life. … Everyone is cheating here.
For more: Sites like Ashley Madison cater to 'discreet' encounters, cheating - USATODAY.com
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