Despite life's brevity, the series "Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal" warrants attention.
Ashley Madison was created on the belief that lots of wedded people were joining dating platforms. It commenced with the motto, "When monogamy becomes mundane," before transitioning under CEO Noel Biderman to the more brazen phrase, "Life is fleeting. Have an affair."
Although the company witnessed remarkable consumer growth, and Biderman turned into media fodder by traversing networks inciting disapproval from (generally furious) interviewers, the sinister secret was that Ashley Madison hadn't implemented safety measures to safeguard its data, leaving it defenseless against a 2015 hack that uncovered countless users.
"It was like playing with fire with people's lives," asserts Evan Back, a sales executive and strategist who was one of the ex-employees interviewed.
In a way, director Toby Paton approaches the new docuseries similarly to the daytime-TV mindset Biderman utilized as a marketing stratagem, hinging on the idea that there was no such thing as bad press for a site that promised adulterous connections with absolute ease.
Consequently, "Ashley Madison" devotes much effort to chronicling a few over-the-top soap opera-style stories of lives turned upside down when the data was released publicly, such as the drama caused for Sam Rader, a Christian vlogger in the Dallas area who had surreptitiously enrolled, and his partner, Nia.
Concurrently, the docuseries constructs a sort of eerie anticipation towards the hack on numerous occasions, alongside offering a keen examination of the voyeurism, often concealed as journalism, which transformed this narrative into such a sensational tabloid story.
Lastly, Paton also devotes part of the series to the probe into the hackers, calling themselves The Impact Team, whose modus operandi differed from the norm, leaving unresolved questions and suspicion over their motivations.
All in all, "Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal" fulfills, or perhaps even exceeds, its moniker. Just as the ad declared, life is short when it comes to devoting oneself to another docuseries. Yet, people will undoubtedly be ready to accept the challenge for a plot with such scrumptious "There but by the grace of God..." ramifications.
“Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal” is due to debut May 15 on Netflix.
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The docuseries "Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal" delves into the world of entertainment, exploring the sensational story of the controversial dating site Ashley Madison. Furthermore, the series promises to keep viewers engaged with its captivating tale of lives turned upside down due to the data leak, showcasing it as an enticing addition to anyone's entertainment lineup.
Source: edition.cnn.com
