Author Topic: Official statement on the recent news about privacy  (Read 56332 times)

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Offline bob3160

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #45 on: January 31, 2020, 08:19:00 AM »
@XdxD
"I was a frequent lurker here and was quite interested and happy in your answers to all those questions that have been asked related to Anti-Virus related issues. But you still believe that Avast did nothing wrong. So, keep enjoying it."
So now you aren't only a frequent lurker you are also a mind reader?
Where in the world did you ever see me state that I was happy with this situation?
https://bob3160.blogspot.com/2020/01/avast-and-your-privacy.html
« Last Edit: January 31, 2020, 08:36:32 AM by bob3160 »
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Offline jsmithy

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #46 on: January 31, 2020, 10:18:19 AM »
Have uninstalled all Avast products from my and my family's devices and won't be using these ever again. I'm sure I'm not the only one...

Offline XdxD

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #47 on: January 31, 2020, 10:45:16 AM »
@XdxD
"I was a frequent lurker here and was quite interested and happy in your answers to all those questions that have been asked related to Anti-Virus related issues. But you still believe that Avast did nothing wrong. So, keep enjoying it."
So now you aren't only a frequent lurker you are also a mind reader?
Where in the world did you ever see me state that I was happy with this situation?
https://bob3160.blogspot.com/2020/01/avast-and-your-privacy.html
Forgot about your blog. Sorry for that. But still I see you don't want people to uninstall it. You still have faith on Avast. Think about this. Would have anyone known about what Avast was doing if PCMag didn't run an investigation along with Motherboard? Shouldn't have Avast just collected the detection and threat data and not privacy infringing stuff?
« Last Edit: January 31, 2020, 10:49:16 AM by XdxD »

Offline bob3160

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #48 on: January 31, 2020, 01:01:13 PM »
@XdxD
"I was a frequent lurker here and was quite interested and happy in your answers to all those questions that have been asked related to Anti-Virus related issues. But you still believe that Avast did nothing wrong. So, keep enjoying it."
So now you aren't only a frequent lurker you are also a mind reader?
Where in the world did you ever see me state that I was happy with this situation?
https://bob3160.blogspot.com/2020/01/avast-and-your-privacy.html
Forgot about your blog. Sorry for that. But still I see you don't want people to uninstall it. You still have faith on Avast. Think about this. Would have anyone known about what Avast was doing if PCMag didn't run an investigation along with Motherboard? Shouldn't have Avast just collected the detection and threat data and not privacy infringing stuff?
Faith is a strong word and for me reserved for God. I still feel that Avast is doing an excellent job when it comes to securing everything connected. Privacy was lost a long time ago and yes, I agree that the selling of our data even in a cleansed way never should have happend.
I also take Ondrej at his word that this sort of thing will not happen again on his watch.
The practice started way before he took the reins so allowing him to put Avast back on the right track is only fair.
Free Security Seminar: https://bit.ly/bobg2023  -  Important: http://www.organdonor.gov/ -- My Web Site: http://bob3160.strikingly.com/ - Win 11 Pro v22H2 64bit, 16 Gig Ram, 1TB SSD, Avast Free 23.5.6066, How to Successfully Install Avast http://goo.gl/VLXdeRepair & Clean Install https://goo.gl/t7aJGq -- My Online Activity https://bit.ly/BobGInternet

Offline Be Secure

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #49 on: January 31, 2020, 01:28:42 PM »
@XdxD
"I was a frequent lurker here and was quite interested and happy in your answers to all those questions that have been asked related to Anti-Virus related issues. But you still believe that Avast did nothing wrong. So, keep enjoying it."
So now you aren't only a frequent lurker you are also a mind reader?
Where in the world did you ever see me state that I was happy with this situation?
https://bob3160.blogspot.com/2020/01/avast-and-your-privacy.html
Forgot about your blog. Sorry for that. But still I see you don't want people to uninstall it. You still have faith on Avast. Think about this. Would have anyone known about what Avast was doing if PCMag didn't run an investigation along with Motherboard? Shouldn't have Avast just collected the detection and threat data and not privacy infringing stuff?
Faith is a strong word and for me reserved for God. I still feel that Avast is doing an excellent job when it comes to securing everything connected. Privacy was lost a long time ago and yes, I agree that the selling of our data even in a cleansed way never should have happend.
I also take Ondrej at his word that this sort of thing will not happen again on his watch.
The practice started way before he took the reins so allowing him to put Avast back on the right track is only fair.
I completely disagree with Bob, avast loose my faith and it is not 1st time user data leak. 2014,2019,2020. If jumpshot is evil why not kick it out of avast eco system earlier?
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Offline chris..

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #50 on: January 31, 2020, 02:25:45 PM »
Faith is a strong word and for me reserved for God. I still feel that Avast is doing an excellent job when it comes to securing everything connected. Privacy was lost a long time ago and yes, I agree that the selling of our data even in a cleansed way never should have happend.
I also take Ondrej at his word that this sort of thing will not happen again on his watch.
For me, taking Ondrej at his word without being inside the company and the policy employed is no longer a feeling but already a faith,especially when the challenges of such a company are not the sale of one or two loaves of bread at a baker's.

Quote
The practice started way before he took the reins so allowing him to put Avast back on the right track is only fair.
Does this mean that from 2003 (when you started at avast) to 7 months ago (when Ondrej took over as CEO of avast), you didn't think avast was on the right track?
That's how I interpret your last sentence.
Before, or at least since the data collection began, you were not sure what you were doing, otherwise why is it that Ondrej needs to get avast back on track for you right now?
It was up to those you trusted before, to put Avast on the right track at the right time and not two or three years later.

I completely disagree with Bob, avast loose my faith and it is not 1st time user data leak. 2014,2019,2020. If jumpshot is evil why not kick it out of avast eco system earlier?
In spite of this, Bob never puts a damper on the past and has complete self-confidence in the future.
For me, when optimism reaches this point, it doesn't denote feeling but faith. :)

I'll end up saying that I always give my trust in avast, not because I believe that Ondrej and his team will work miracles (it won't happen  :( ) but because I'm far from being so naive to believe in something utopian elsewhere.

« Last Edit: January 31, 2020, 03:14:00 PM by chris.. »

Offline bob3160

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #51 on: January 31, 2020, 03:02:13 PM »
Faith is a strong word and for me reserved for God. I still feel that Avast is doing an excellent job when it comes to securing everything connected. Privacy was lost a long time ago and yes, I agree that the selling of our data even in a cleansed way never should have happend.
I also take Ondrej at his word that this sort of thing will not happen again on his watch.
For me, taking Ondrej at his word without being inside the company and the policy employed is no longer a feeling but already a faith,especially when the challenges of such a company are not the sale of one or two loaves of bread at a baker's.

Quote
The practice started way before he took the reins so allowing him to put Avast back on the right track is only fair.
Does this mean that from 2003 (when you started at avast) to 7 months ago (when Ondrej took over as CEO of avast), you didn't think avast was on the right track?
That's how I interpret your last sentence.
Before, or at least since the data collection began, you were not sure what you were doing, otherwise why is it that Ondrej needs to get avast back on track for you right now?
It was up to those you trusted before, to put Avast on the right track at the right time and not two or three years later.
It helps to have the correct facts. My statement was that I started using Avast in 2003. I don't work for Avast.
So I really don't understand what you're trying to get at.
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Offline k.chalkidis13

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #52 on: January 31, 2020, 08:47:02 PM »
I would like to mention that also Microsoft and Google collecting our privacy data.and use them as they will..
I suppose that all of you have already changed operating system and web browser....

Offline WalKal-X

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #53 on: January 31, 2020, 10:52:00 PM »
I've been an Avast user for "ages" and have three Avast products running in my computers but I have decided not to renew any of them instead I will jump ship to F-Secure which even have a better price for those three products I'm using at present.

Offline estebano

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #54 on: January 31, 2020, 11:32:13 PM »
Those are all some really weasely whataboutisms. "Google is doing this, Microsoft is doing that...". So we should't care anymore because there is no way to at least partially protect our private sphere? Sounds Orwellian to me, but ok.

I know people can get really emotionally attached to their Antivirus Products because they give them a sense of security and protection. All those Popups to protect your private sphere, to buy their vpn (thus throwing even more money at them) ensuring their user that everything is well and you are protected - symbolized by a big green checkmark. Antivir companies know which psychological buttons to press in their customers mind, to make their products attractive. In the end the feeling of safety is their business. So obviously this scandal comes as a betrayal. If I PAY for their product, I shouldn't be the product, I shouldn't sell my private sphere. And the alleged data they collected seems pretty invasive. And this is only what has been publicly uncovered. Surely no one believes, that Avast officials would come forward themselves if there is more dirt. That would only boost the scandal right now.

Also there are options to improve your privacy. Change the privacy settings of your OS and your programs/applications. Avoid data kraken like Google and Facebook. The reason, why i moved from Chrome to Avast Secure Browser was because I thought that would be an improvement to my privacy. Huh, how about that... And if is unclear whether products like avast are more like malware than actually helpful (there are obviously a number of security problems with Antivirus software, too) maybe it is for the best to just go without it.

I'm now trying Brave Browser with noscript and simply windows defender. As far as i am concerned it's just one less wolf in sheep's clothing around me.

Offline Mike ALA

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #55 on: February 01, 2020, 01:43:46 AM »
Am I the only one that wants to know what kind of information Jumpshot has on me? I've sent a request for information to them as I have the right to do under GDPR but no response. I'm going to wait 30 days and then sue them to get the information, the fine for not complying is quite steep. And if Jumpshot shuts down I'm going after AVAST.

Offline Kermit80

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #56 on: February 01, 2020, 06:09:16 PM »
Am I the only one that wants to know what kind of information Jumpshot has on me? I've sent a request for information to them as I have the right to do under GDPR but no response. I'm going to wait 30 days and then sue them to get the information, the fine for not complying is quite steep. And if Jumpshot shuts down I'm going after AVAST.

you may want to know that if data is anonymised GDPR does not apply

Offline Asyn

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #57 on: February 01, 2020, 08:26:09 PM »
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Offline DavidR

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #58 on: February 01, 2020, 09:22:47 PM »
Am I the only one that wants to know what kind of information Jumpshot has on me? I've sent a request for information to them as I have the right to do under GDPR but no response. I'm going to wait 30 days and then sue them to get the information, the fine for not complying is quite steep. And if Jumpshot shuts down I'm going after AVAST.

you may want to know that if data is anonymised GDPR does not apply

I was wondering how long it would before someone would realise/mention this. 
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Offline anon.nona

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Re: Official statement on the recent news about privacy
« Reply #59 on: February 01, 2020, 11:48:33 PM »
Am I the only one that wants to know what kind of information Jumpshot has on me? I've sent a request for information to them as I have the right to do under GDPR but no response. I'm going to wait 30 days and then sue them to get the information, the fine for not complying is quite steep. And if Jumpshot shuts down I'm going after AVAST.

you may want to know that if data is anonymised GDPR does not apply

I was wondering how long it would before someone would realise/mention this.

well, Im not so sure. It is especially hard since we dont know what was in the data that Avast pulled from our computers, but about 5 minutes of digging gives that GDPR goes pretty far here,  Article 4, §1 clearly specifies:

"‘personal data’ means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (‘data subject’); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person;"



Moving on to Avast, in the privacy policy, Avast specifies that they collect:

"Email address             -              To send you communications regarding your license and support
Username             -              To manage your account and facilitate your login into the service
Subscription renewal date             -              To tell us until when the account is valid
Trial User             -              To add a trial period before the account is charged"

Especially Email Address and Username looks to me like they would be what one would call "Online identifiers".





Furthermore, Avast privacy policy also states that these bits of information are collected:

"Product Data includes two sub-categories:

Device Data includes information about the operating system; hardware; city/country of device; error logs; browser; network; applications running on the device, including the Avast products; and
Service Data includes information about the Avast product usage and events relating to use of our product by you such as malware samples and detections, information concerning URLs of websites, usage statistics (activation, crashes, scans, errors), IP address."

IP address and city/country will most probably also fall under what GDPR considers "personal data", wouldnt you agree?

For reference:
----------------
Avast privacy policy:
https://www.avast.com/privacy-policy

GDPR official legal text, Article 4:
https://gdpr-info.eu/art-4-gdpr/