Ashley Madison Membership Allegedly Up Following Hack Scandal

 Posted on December 00,0000 in Divorce

Back in late summer, headlines across the country were ablaze with stories about the hack and dump of the personal information of millions of subscribers to the website Ashley Madison. The site, which promotes itself the top source for finding an adulterous relationship, is well-known for its infamous motto “Life is short. Have an affair.” In the months that followed, divorce attorneys around the country dealt with the fallout, as many relationships were unable to withstand the implications of infidelity.

Blackmail Attempts

In December, reports began to surface that some of the site’s subscribers were receiving letters and emails threatening to expose them. While security experts do not believe the letters were sent by the same group that originally hacked Ashley Madison, the demands for money in exchange for silence were definitely disturbing. Such blackmail threats are even thought to have contributed to the suicide deaths of at least two users in Canada.

Subscriptions Up Again

At the time of the data dump, Ashley Madison claimed to have an active membership of 39 million subscribers. Today, the site claims to have in excess of 43 million members, an approximate ten percent growth since the news of the hack broke. Officials from the site’s parent company will not go into detail about what is fueling the apparent growth. The last public statement by the company—known as Avid Life Media—was made at the end of August, 2015 and a spokesman has said there are no updates to provide. This has led some to speculate that the site may be not entirely truthful regarding its actual membership numbers.

Divorce in Illinois

Infidelity can be incredibly damaging to a marriage, especially if the relationship is already fragile for other reasons. In Illinois, though, adultery is no longer officially grounds for a divorce. Instead, all divorces in the state are now granted on the grounds of irreconcilable differences. Cheating, obviously, can directly contribute to the breakdown of a marriage, but does not need to be proven during the proceedings. Additionally, according to the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act, marital misconduct, such as infidelity, may not be taken into account when considering spousal maintenance or the division of property.

If your marital relationship has been adversely affected by attempted or actual infidelity, it is important to know what your options are. Contact an experienced DuPage County divorce attorney today to discuss your situation. At the Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, we are committed to helping build the life and the future that you deserve and will work hard to help you achieve it. Call 630-409-8184 to schedule a confidential consultation and put our knowledge and skill to work for you.

Sources:

http://money.cnn.com/2015/12/28/technology/ashley-madison-new-members/

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35101662

http://www.christianpost.com/news/ashley-madison-update-did-cheating-website-really-gain-more-members-after-hack-154038/