Why was Ashley Madison banned?

Ashley Madison, a controversial online dating service marketed towards individuals who are married or in relationships, was banned in several countries due to moral and legal reasons. Primarily, it was the website’s blatant encouragement of infidelity that sparked public outcry and led authorities to restrict access. In some instances, bans were also provoked by concerns over the protection of personal data, particularly after the site suffered a massive security breach in 2015 which exposed the private information of millions of its users globally. The combination of promoting extramarital affairs, ethical considerations about its business model, and potentially compromising user privacy led various governments to deem the service unacceptable for operation within their jurisdictions.