Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: nubnubbud on July 13, 2021, 11:14:57 AM
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Avast used to work really well for me, but recently whenever it does something, my computer grinds to a halt, and responsiveness is limited to the mouse. Beyond that, I'm continually sent scare tactic notifications like "people can see you" and "your address is *******" and "your IP is ******" and "you're vulnerable to hackers now", or things along those lines.
not only is the information usually wrong, it's shown up when I've been streaming or in calls with clients, and is really freaking messing with me, even if I know it's false information and all publicly available anyway.
I'm just kidding. I know it's not being hacked. but you know what? I really, REALLY don't appreciate this. My father, older, and with heart issues has come to me, panicked that he'd been hacked, and I had to calmly explain to him that this is how things work now. it's disgusting, and it needs to stop. I can handle this, but at some point, when a prospective client is watching my screen and avast pops up and tells them my personal information and that I supposedly have inferior data protection, it's affecting business, AND BEING A SECURITY RISK. -And I know what you'll say: "just get business protection." well, I considered it. Then the scare tactics started and I stopped considering it. It's been over a year now, and I'm finally sick and tired of it. Avast used to be respectable, but now I have to convince people it's not a virus. I used to evangelize it, now I can't help but demonize it. I got it because I thought proper internet safety should by free, seeing as many places and careers now consider internet access a necessity.
There's this kind of thing called "ransomware" ... and I hate to say it, but the way avast works, suddenly slowing down my computer to a standstill, where I can't even open a webpage, causing program crashes due to limited system resources during updates, telling me I can fix security issues or speed up my computer if I pay them, having a "report performance issue" button that can't be clicked when the performance drops... it's an awfully familiar MO.
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You can disable the ads in the paid versions: Avast GUI -> Settings -> Personal Privacy
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You can disable the ads in the paid versions: Avast GUI -> Settings -> Personal Privacy
well, I disabled the popups, but this popped up when I did. clicking the "resolve now" button just brings me to a really sketchy purchase page.
(https://i.postimg.cc/bwWYWJD1/untitled.png)
so clearly something is broken here. no reputable anti-malware would give you popups because you turned them off, right? oh and don't worry about the location. they were way off on that so I don't care. if this is the best their antivirus can do I don't wanna touch their VPN with a 10 foot pole XD
and one of the programs the slowdown warning tells me to turn off is windows updates! hell no I'm not gonna turn that off- a changing backend and updating firewall is super important to obfuscating older malware attacks!
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Well, in short - the ads are basically 'the price to pay' for the free version.
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Well, in short - the ads are basically 'the price to pay' for the free version.
well, in short, I guess that means free is a lie.
free means free, not "pay with stress and freedom of mind" or "pay with your information" or "pay through business insecurity". ads are fine. Harrassment, lying, false advertisement, and
I've been loyal for a good decade and a quarter, but avast rewarded my loyalty by lying to me, doxxing me, scaring my loved ones, and being an absolute scumbag. Thanks. Real good deed you did there. I'm totally glad the moment there was something to sell, ethics went out the window.
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=235355.0
it says here that if you have a webcam, avast will use it to scare you. WHAT. THE. FUCK. that... that's wrong. I had to take a class on ethics for my job and... some of the WORST stuff we covered was far more benign than a program using webcams to scare clients into buying protection from them!
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You can submit your feedback in "About Avast".
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Hi nibnubbud,
you might find useful the newly added function that hides all (possible, if any ;-) ) popups from avast from screen captures such as live streaming - it's by default on.
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Hi nibnubbud,
you might find useful the newly added function that hides all (possible, if any ;-) ) popups from avast from screen captures such as live streaming - it's by default on.
it was not on, and I've never seen it before... but like I just said, turning it on MADE a pop-up appear.
on the other hand, I looked up FTC rulings on this... and yeah- the scare tactics here already have legislation for them. it's expressly illegal to give false scan information and prompt a purchase, even if it wasn't, it's legally shaky AND beyond unethical to use anxiety and fear to prompt purchases and take advantage of people who don't know better.
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"it's expressly illegal to give false scan information"
What was false about that information?
I also hate those types of popups but, I don't see anything false about the information.
I also don't see anything dangerous about the information disclosed.
Our ISP already has all of that and lots more information.
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"it's expressly illegal to give false scan information"
What was false about that information?
I also hate those types of popups but, I don't see anything false about the information.
I also don't see anything dangerous about the information disclosed.
Our ISP already has all of that and lots more information.
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/02/appeals-court-affirms-ruling-favor-ftc-upholds-163-million while I don't know of any law codes, exactly, these kinds of things hold up very poorly under scrutiny, and giving false information or emotionally manipulating people to trick them into buying things they don't need or want is fraud, by definition.
also, they have sold my information, notably what sites I visit, specific timings of actions on the internet that can be used to track my behavior, and what kind of things I'm interested in via things like amazon browsing and youtube videos clicked. I wouldn't be too sour if they didn't have the information needed to track it back to me- and they're selling it, and haven't answered my emails telling them to stop. of course, they only promised they'd stop selling it. they might just be giving it away for free for all I know. one of their buyers is in india. is that why some of those directed scams are coming from there? I can't know- they won't tell me what they have on me, or where it went...despite there being laws requiring that I can receive that information.
it says my sensitive documents are unprotected, but I don't keep financial information on my computer. well, except my resume. but that doesn't count really. it says I have over a hundred gigs of download files, but I only have 11 gigs, but when I click on it, it won't bring me to any sort of explanation. why is it a button if it does nothing?
it even says here, that their tracker will stop companies from getting into your PC, gathering personal info, creating a personal file, and selling it to other companies, with enough information to link data and create a personal profile of information... but THEY CANNOT DO THAT... https://www.avast.com/privacy-policy https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/01/avast-kills-off-jumpshot-the-subsidiary-that-sold-all-your-web-data/ while they do it themselves! look closely, there are tons of cookies they use, some stay active FOR A DECADE, if allowed. I've sent an email asking that they stop selling my data- and radio silence. They have my information, and they're selling it, and they will not stop, even if asked, and the law requires it. they aren't even complying with the laws of the state they are based in. How could I expect them to tell the truth if they won't even speak?
man, avast used to be cool. didn't used to need people saying "well free isn't free" to defend it, didn't sell user data, it was just free, with business and special scan perks if you paid. now they won't even follow the damn law.
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I guess digging up old information was easier than just answering my question.
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I guess digging up old information was easier than just answering my question.
yes, it was- I already had the info up and didn't have to wait for popups. also avast just deleted my account so there's that. sorry for the delay, but this is bullshit. I hate being singled out. what the hell does avast have against me, besides remembering when they respected me?
I'll shorten it because you didn't read what I said earlier.
avast reported over 140 gigs of wasted space in my downloads folder. there was 11 gigs total in both of them. I don't really have a way to check the others, but I clearly can't trust them if the one I can measure is inaccurate.
avast said my location was visible. then failed to report the correct location.
avast said hackers could spy on me using my webcam, then failed to load my webcam. (I don't have one plugged in.)
avast said "your sensitive documents are unprotected" however, avast lacks the capacity to scan for any, so it's a false scan report.
I'm not quite sure exactly how dangerous it is, but I REALLY don't appreciate that they weren't hidden from streams by default for me. As well, if it really isn't that harmful- then why is avast telling me it is, and needs to be fixed? That's my issue with it.
Look, I would gladly pay for avast, but I won't pay for something that feeds me false data or info that I can't trust to begin with, or a company that makes attempts to scare me into buying products. I think that's fair.
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I guess digging up old information was easier than just answering my question.
yes, it was- I already had the info up and didn't have to wait for popups. also avast just deleted my account so there's that. sorry for the delay, but this is bullshit. I hate being singled out. what the hell does avast have against me, besides remembering when they respected me?
I'll shorten it because you didn't read what I said earlier.
avast reported over 140 gigs of wasted space in my downloads folder. there was 11 gigs total in both of them. I don't really have a way to check the others, but I clearly can't trust them if the one I can measure is inaccurate.
avast said my location was visible. then failed to report the correct location.
avast said hackers could spy on me using my webcam, then failed to load my webcam. (I don't have one plugged in.)
avast said "your sensitive documents are unprotected" however, avast lacks the capacity to scan for any, so it's a false scan report.
I'm not quite sure exactly how dangerous it is, but I REALLY don't appreciate that they weren't hidden from streams by default for me. As well, if it really isn't that harmful- then why is avast telling me it is, and needs to be fixed? That's my issue with it.
Look, I would gladly pay for avast, but I won't pay for something that feeds me false data or info that I can't trust to begin with, or a company that makes attempts to scare me into buying products. I think that's fair.
It's your computer and your choice.
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Hello friends
I have been using Avast Free for 11 years without any problem. Nobody works for free, so it is normal that Avast monetizes its publication in the form of commercial proposals, especially since it never impacts my processor or my memory.
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I believe that Avast makes users vulnerable to scams by creating its own 'warnings' about security. When an Avast user receives similar warnings from other sources, this weakens a user's perceptions and so makes them more vulnerable through confusion.
It is a great shame that such a magnificent security product as Avast should diminish its gleaming reputation in this way. I implicitly trust Avast to keep my PCs safe but its social engineering puts its users in jeopardy of being victims of social engineering by others.
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I believe that Avast makes users vulnerable to scams by creating its own 'warnings' about security. When an Avast user receives similar warnings from other sources, this weakens a user's perceptions and so makes them more vulnerable through confusion.
It is a great shame that such a magnificent security product as Avast should diminish its gleaming reputation in this way. I implicitly trust Avast to keep my PCs safe but its social engineering puts its users in jeopardy of being victims of social engineering by others.
I don't have a clue what you're taking about or are trying to convey in your post.
Those po-ups may be annoying and sometimes misleading but, they certainly don't make the user vulnerable to anything.
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I disagree Bob. Avast is using its own version of what some call 'social engineering' to persuade users to fork out for the Premium product and other paid for goodies. This likely helps to soften up us users for the real thing. It desensitises us and so must tend to increase our vulnerability.
The popups remain on screen for 2 minutes. They obstruct the client area of applications and this can be very distracting when the user is trying to use a complex web site. Two minutes is a long time so popups need to be clicked to get rid of them.
The quality of Avast 'promotional' software is a concern so I am hoping that it is strictly process segregated from the vital stuff. When I have to uninstall then reinstall Avast to overcome a difficulty in re-registering for further year, I think about quality issues.
What I do need are the core protections and boy are they good!!!!! I will put up with a lot to receive their vital benefits.
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I don't have a clue what you're taking about or are trying to convey in your post.
Those po-ups may be annoying and sometimes misleading but, they certainly don't make the user vulnerable to anything.
they're misleading. they spread misinformation, confusing people who don't know enough to not be scared. not only is it abusive conduct, it's unethical and less successful than... actual information. It's similar to Apple's rhetoric. "changing phone parts can be dangerous" they say, tricking people, from their target audience(people who don't have the time or interest to learn advanced tech skills) to legislators and lawmakers, pushing small repair shops, and their own customers to make unneeded, expensive repeat purchases just to keep status quo.
disinformation hurts. The more there is, from any source, the worse it gets and the less people are willing to trust companies, authority, each other, you name it. In the end, the world runs on confidence and trust, so disinformation to make a quick buck is an unethical, dangerous, and self-destructive method.
I, personally, am very put off by paid programs, especially paying, for trying them for the first time, and even moreso for subscriptions, which I hope you understand are easily forgotten and hard to cancel. If I was less technologically inclined and actually believed these pop-ups, my first move would be to realize avast's were paid subscriptions, then my second would be to go online...and see if I could find a free one to download. I wonder where less-technologically inclined me might be in trouble...
besides- now I REALLY don't trust them, because they deleted my other account for asking for the information they sold, and I'm doing my best elsewhere to make sure everyone knows it.
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I don't have a clue what you're taking about or are trying to convey in your post.
Those po-ups may be annoying and sometimes misleading but, they certainly don't make the user vulnerable to anything.
they're misleading. they spread misinformation, confusing people who don't know enough to not be scared. not only is it abusive conduct, it's unethical and less successful than... actual information. It's similar to Apple's rhetoric. "changing phone parts can be dangerous" they say, tricking people, from their target audience(people who don't have the time or interest to learn advanced tech skills) to legislators and lawmakers, pushing small repair shops, and their own customers to make unneeded, expensive repeat purchases just to keep status quo.
disinformation hurts. The more there is, from any source, the worse it gets and the less people are willing to trust companies, authority, each other, you name it. In the end, the world runs on confidence and trust, so disinformation to make a quick buck is an unethical, dangerous, and self-destructive method.
I, personally, am very put off by paid programs, especially paying, for trying them for the first time, and even moreso for subscriptions, which I hope you understand are easily forgotten and hard to cancel. If I was less technologically inclined and actually believed these pop-ups, my first move would be to realize avast's were paid subscriptions, then my second would be to go online...and see if I could find a free one to download. I wonder where less-technologically inclined me might be in trouble...
besides- now I REALLY don't trust them, because they deleted my other account for asking for the information they sold, and I'm doing my best elsewhere to make sure everyone knows it.
Who is THEY?
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@ bob3160
Whoever they are, and whatever they deleted, this user has two avast forum accounts, this one 'Nubnubbud2' is active and the other 'nubnubbud' although not deleted is in effect dormant as the email is no longer correct.
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Who is THEY?
Avast security, or at least their marketing team. I don't know how many times I've seen "you aren't protected" and thought "yeah that's a lie", with no evidence on either side. It definitely normalizes the idea of "warnings are just spam" and "i'm safe on the internet, even if I'm told otherwise"
Don't suddenly begin feigning ignorance, you could read your own posts and know what we're talking about.
@ bob3160
Whoever they are, and whatever they deleted, this user has two avast forum accounts, this one 'Nubnubbud2' is active and the other 'nubnubbud' although not deleted is in effect dormant as the email is no longer correct.
Yeah, i asked for my information via their provided email, and avast's employee said there was no way to track it to me without proof that I had an account, however they have a cookie on my browser collecting my device ID, linked to my browsing information, possibly my account, and my browsing history.
I informed them of my account name, and that I wanted a copy of my information, and that as per california rulings (both they and I are based in california) i had a right to have them stop selling my information. I was angry at this point, and reminded them that if they would ignore FTC rules that they agreed to uphold, I would file a report. I understand that I probably shouldn't have gotten angry, but to ask for things the company agrees to provide, and get not a single straight answer paired with a canned lie is beyond demoralizing.
Their next email, the moment they were supplied with my account, informed me that my account had been deleted from their servers. They didn't mention my information, so I can only assume they deleted my account and kept my information, selling it still, and thereby making it impossible for me to follow up in any way other than a report, and telling you guys via this new account (i'm unable to log into the old one, my password and email are gone from avast's system.)
I never asked for account or information deletion, only to stop selling my information, and a copy of it. Avast told me it couldn't be linked to my account... so why would my account be deleted, if they were to destroy the information that was collected without prompt? If what they told me was true, deleting my account would do nothing but hurt my ability to purchase their software and trust them. At the very least they don't care for their customers.at worst they may be trying to get away with federal crimes. I really wanted to like avast, but they seem to want nothing but to exploit and gaslight me.
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Your quote is that of DavidR which is not my post.
And I don't need a novel to relay that message.
No one is spying on you.