- You do realise that "everybody does it" is an extremely weak argument? If everybody jumps off a bridge, etc...
- Avast boasts about being the right software to keep users safe and secure, in a myriad of ways. To then be so lax with their privacy is shameful! Nothing less. The default should be opt-in.
...so users can make an informed choice. Or at least were made aware these settings exist. That is the right way to approach user privacy!
I'll repeat: Avast is being shady and it willfully puts its bottom line before its users privacy. Truly for shame.
We do appreciate that the topic of privacy is extremely important so, please, let me elaborate here. I really want people here to understand it.
When it comes to data collected for our own analytical purposes (of Avast product usage) - this is part of End User License Agreement (EULA) you are agreeing to when installing the software. It is the absolute standard and most common legal procedure of giving such consent in the world - there is nothing to be ashamed of from Avast side. The argument
about jumping from the bridge does not make sense here, sorry. This (opt-out regime) is the way how such program-usage data sharing consent operates for virtually any software out there and there is absolutely no reason for Avast to differ from such legal standards.
What more - I don't understand where the accusation about us not asking the consent for data shared with 3rd parties (for our business purposes) comes from. We do explicitly notify every user about data collection (those used for business and marketing purposes - which some users might find way more sensitive then program usage data) right after installation. Actually, in a very open and transparent form that most companies do not. This is the latest iteration of the data sharing consent step right after installation. In various forms, it has existed in Avast for years.
Again - if you opted out of this any time before, we are respecting your very decision even after splitting the consent in settings in this latest version. I consider the fact that we are making privacy settings more granular as yet another step towards transparency - it is definitely for the benefit of users if we do not merge consent for Google Analytics (or such services) with data collection for business purposes, like with Jumpshot.