Well, this is awkward: Canberra named as COVID infidelity hotspot

Posted on 19 June, 2020

So Canberra…you got something to tell us?

Today, Ashley Madison, “the world’s leading married dating site” (yes, that means a site for setting up affairs), announced that Canberra has been ranked among the ‘Top 20 Cities for Cyber Affairs During Social Isolation’. Ahem.

While we’re used to seeing Canberra at the top of lists—liveability, coffee, roundabouts—this was perhaps not what we expected to see in our inboxes first thing on a Friday morning.

According to sign-up data from Ashley Madison—which was hacked in 2015, leading to thousands of user’s details to be leaked online—Canberra ranks as #4 on the list.

While we were pipped to the post by Albury, Coffs Harbour and Newcastle, Ashley Madison is quick to point out that Queensland “leads the way in cyber affairs” with seven cities on the list.

“These cyber affairs serve as a release valve for individuals dealing with increased pressures in their marriage and domestic lives,” says Paul Keable, Chief Strategy Officer for Ashley Madison, which to us sounds like a bit of a cop-out since, during a pandemic, surely *checks notes* EVERYONE is dealing with increased pressure in both of those spheres.

“With divorce rates reported to have increased in countries that have initiated their reopening, we’re offering an alternative pathway to help people cope and ultimately help couples preserve their marriage once the dust has settled,” adds Paul, referencing an article from Bloomberg.

Hmm.

Top 20 Cities for Cyber Affairs During Social Isolation according to Ashley Madison

1. Albury, NSW
2. Coffs Harbour, NSW
3. Newcastle, NSW
4. Canberra, ACT
5. Bunbury, WA
6. Gold Coast, QLD
7. Mackay, QLD
8. Geelong, VIC
9. Rockhampton, QLD
10. Darwin, NT
11. Townsville, QLD
12. Toowoomba, QLD
13. Wollongong, NSW
14. Adelaide, SA
15. Cairns, QLD
16. Brisbane, QLD
17. Hobart, TAS
18. Sydney, NSW
19. Perth, WA
20. Melbourne, VIC