Avast is selling our browsing data!!!!!

[Dmitriy62]

Imagine this, the company that we trusted for so long to guard our identifies is actually selling our browsing habits data to anyone who is willing to pay for it!!!!!

Just read an article on Engadget called "Avast packaged detailed user data to be sold for millions of dollars" where an investigation by Motherboard and PC Mag is referenced.  According to the Engadget, Avast transferred "data include[ing] everything from Google searches, Google Maps location searches, activity on companies' LinkedIn pages, YouTube video visits and data on people visiting porn websites" to is subsidiary who then sold it off to the highest bidder!!!

The article by PC Mag about this investigation is titled "The Cost of Avast's Free Antivirus: Companies Can Spy on Your Clicks."  I am not going to link to it for safety reasons.

Just make sure to opt-out of the data sharing that is supposed to be an option offered at time of installation of the Avast anti-virus.  This data-sharing is also supposed to be controllable via options in the Anti-Virus program. 

[bob3160]

Imagine this, the company that we trusted for so long to guard our identifies is actually selling our browsing habits data to anyone who is willing to pay for it!!!!!

Just read an article on Engadget called "Avast packaged detailed user data to be sold for millions of dollars" where an investigation by Motherboard and PC Mag is referenced.  According to the Engadget, Avast transferred "data include[ing] everything from Google searches, Google Maps location searches, activity on companies' LinkedIn pages, YouTube video visits and data on people visiting porn websites" to is subsidiary who then sold it off to the highest bidder!!!

The article by PC Mag about this investigation is titled "The Cost of Avast's Free Antivirus: Companies Can Spy on Your Clicks."  I am not going to link to it for safety reasons.

Just make sure to opt-out of the data sharing that is supposed to be an option offered at time of installation of the Avast anti-virus.  This data-sharing is also supposed to be controllable via options in the Anti-Virus program.

In that same article, Avast also stated that no date is being collected via the Browser-addon

[Asyn]

-> https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=231811.0

[Asyn]

Avast Statement: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=231828.0

[Asyn]

Avast’s commitment to responsible data use
https://blog.avast.com/our-commitment-to-responsible-data-use

[r@vast]

A message from Avast CEO Ondrej Vlcek
https://blog.avast.com/a-message-from-ceo-ondrej-vlcek

[xtranaut2]

Have you asked AVAST to respond to the story to confirm or deny? 

I have been an AVAST user for about four years. How does one opt-out of permitting data to be sold?  I like the browser but I will definitely have to return to Firefox in this event.

[Asyn]

Jumpshot is history, see: https://press.avast.com/avast-to-commence-wind-down-of-subsidiary-jumpshot

[guillermo220]

Hi,

To me is not clear. Avast Browser colect data or not.
And what about the browser add-ons.

Thanx for the answers in advance.

[MartinZ]

How long was the data sharing dialog present during install (because I remember seeing it ages ago, but don't remember exactly)
The product had a setting for data sharing for third party analytics. During installation of the antivirus, there was also a dialogue box that explained the data sharing. The privacy policy also explained the data sharing.
 
How was data shared to 3rd parties, on request as aggregated results in graphs or raw data that 3rd parties could poke on their own?
Jumpshot had a graphical product and a data feed product.
 
Was data only collected via web browser extensions or also Web Shield component?
Data was collected primarily via web browser extensions which were disabled in December 2019. Data for mobile devices was shared via Web Shield. 
 
Was "CommunityIQ" (cloud malware protection) data ever or at any point shared with Jumpshot?
Community IQ and data sharing with third parties were unrelated to each other.

[guillermo220]

And bank mode? That too shared data?

[MartinZ]

No, the data from Secure browser where the Bank Mode is, weren't shared.

[guillermo220]

How can I access data transferred to Jumpstart, privately? Is there any way or procedure?

[Asyn]

For Europe (GDPR): https://support.avast.com/en-eu/article/GDPR-FAQ
Privacy Preference Portal: https://www.avast.com/gdpr

[guillermo220]

Thanks.