Poll

In light of the recent news about Avast selling our data, what will you do?

Uninstall immediately and find another product.
29 (49.2%)
Go to settings and opt out of all data sharing.
15 (25.4%)
Wait until my subscription expires and go with another product.
7 (11.9%)
Nothing, I'm ok with it.
7 (11.9%)
I don't know what this is about.
1 (1.7%)

Total Members Voted: 59

Author Topic: Recent news about Avast selling our data  (Read 28181 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline sandy55

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 213
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #75 on: February 06, 2020, 11:31:17 PM »
I have been away came home yesterday to expired paid avast and renewed .... came to look up something else today and ran into this. 
It saddens me. 
If the money I was paying was not enough for avast to protect my information they should have priced the product higher not gone behind my back to make extra cash selling information.
I have been reading these posts for a very long time today I think I read them all.  One person said avast was like a prostitute .... hmmm guess that would be a prostitute that took a video of the exchange of service for cash and then sold the video. 
maybe or maybe not blurring out the customers face... will he be identified by other things a birth mark car plate number... her big mouth... advertising.  The prostitute would have to make a killing on the sale of the videos of customers as there would be no repeat sales.

I am not savy enough to know if there is or isn't identifiable information sold and I don't do much on the computer anyway no porn sites just chats with family a bit of shopping but mostly health information as we are all getting older and illness is catching those I love. 

Still I don't like and it is not what I thought I was paying for...I am  quite disappointed.

When I was sharing information with avast I thought I was sharing just with them to help make them a better more prosperous company.... in return they do this... and it is not right.
They know it but that is how things are these days everything is for sale... saddened you may think old and out of touch and I may well be. 

A lot of old out of touch people have money and buy things like internet security and a lot of us old out of touch people want more for our money... we want decency I know it is an old fashioned word... and idea yet we still want it.  Keep that in mind avast I am here for another year since I paid it already maybe... I am here for a year I am going to think it over.
win 8.1 (64) avast version 18.5.2342(build) 18.5.3931.0 apparently this is Premier version according to an internet search on that version number above.. tho it does not state this in about or any other place on my computer...

Offline polonus

  • Avast Überevangelist
  • Probably Bot
  • *****
  • Posts: 33891
  • malware fighter
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #76 on: February 06, 2020, 11:40:26 PM »
Hi bob3160,

avast should live up to a policy of conduct (values) of not to
Quote
cause harm or disrupt the service of others
probe or access the service of others
monitor or capture data or traffic
forge data, headers, or traffic
breach or circumvent any system or network security measures
operate or distribute malware
send unsolicited email (SPAM)

As avast is not doing all of the above, we should now finally rest this case,

polonus (volunteer 3rd party cold recon website security analyst and website error-hunter)
Cybersecurity is more of an attitude than anything else. Avast Evangelists.

Use NoScript, a limited user account and a virtual machine and be safe(r)!

Offline bob3160

  • Avast Überevangelist
  • Probably Bot
  • *****
  • Posts: 48523
  • 64 Years of Happiness
    • bob3160 Protecting Yourself, Your Computer and, Your Identity
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #77 on: February 06, 2020, 11:55:29 PM »
I have been away came home yesterday to expired paid avast and renewed .... came to look up something else today and ran into this.  It saddens me.  If the money I was paying was not enough for avast to protect my information they should have priced the product higher not gone behind my back to make extra cash selling information. I have been reading these posts for a very long time today I think I read them all.  One person said avast was like a prostitute .... hmmm guess that would be a prostitute that took a video of the exchange of service for cash and then sold the video.  maybe or maybe not blurring out the customers face... will he be identified by other things a birth mark car plate number... her big mouth... advertising.  The prostitute would have to make a killing on the sale of the videos of customers as there would be no repeat sales. I am not savy enough to know if there is or isn't identifiable information sold and I don't do much on the computer anyway no porn sites just chats with family a bit of shopping but mostly health information as we are all getting older and illness is catching those I love.  Still I don't like and it is not what I thought I was paying for...I am  quite disappointed. When I was sharing information with avast I thought I was sharing just with them to help make them a better more prosperous company.... in return they do this... and it is not right. They know it but that is how things are these days everything is for sale... saddened you may think old and out of touch and I may well be.  A lot of old out of touch people have money and buy things like internet security and a lot of us old out of touch people want more for our money... we want decency I know it is an old fashioned word... and idea yet we still want it.  Keep that in mind avast I am here for another year since I paid it already maybe... I am here for a year I am going to think it over.
Hello Sandy, Avast's practice of selling data even without any identifying information was never a good idea.
Avast has found that out the hard way and I'm sure is paying for that lack in judgement dearly.
We'll never know just how may users they have lost and of those lost users, how many will ever return.
I'm also sure this bad judgement, by those in charge when this practice started, are paying a huge financial price.
The current and fairly new CEO of Avast has already put an end to this practice. That may or may not be something you can accept.


There is something I'd like to point out.
In 2019 alone there have been many data breaches - https://www.identityforce.com/blog/2019-data-breaches

When a breach occurs, the information harvested is usually raw data which means it isn't hidden and all your information is
easily identified. Breaches are something we can't control and usually happens because the company used unsecure practices.
The above is not meant as an excuse, there isn't any, it is meant to point out that there really isn't any way for us to totally
protect our privacy without totally avoiding the internet.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2020, 01:26:26 PM by bob3160 »
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 XdxD

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 23
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #78 on: February 07, 2020, 06:55:53 AM »
We'll never know just how may users they have lost and of those lost users, how many will ever return.
I came back, but am on 6-months premium trial.

Offline Luukjr

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 275
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #79 on: February 07, 2020, 12:13:21 PM »
It is clear that Avast has been looking for a revenue model to finance the takeovers of some of its partners.
This has resulted not only in the sale of confidential information, but also in the marketing of products that seem unnecessary to me.
The morality has been sacrificed for the sake of commerce, and that's the last thing you want.
I'll stay with Avast until I've had enough, fortunately we're not married  ;D

OS: Windows 10 Home
Soft: Avast Premium Security  / Avast Cleanup / Malwarebytes Premium

Offline RejZoR

  • Polymorphic Sheep
  • Serious Graphoman
  • *****
  • Posts: 9406
  • We are supersheep, resistance is futile!
    • RejZoR's Flock of Sheep
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #80 on: February 07, 2020, 09:13:05 PM »
It is clear that Avast has been looking for a revenue model to finance the takeovers of some of its partners.
This has resulted not only in the sale of confidential information, but also in the marketing of products that seem unnecessary to me.
The morality has been sacrificed for the sake of commerce, and that's the last thing you want.
I'll stay with Avast until I've had enough, fortunately we're not married  ;D

I never had a single doubt about morality of original avast! team. But when investors are involved, shit always happens because they are NEVER satisfied with any revenue or profits. Company can be making trillions and they'd still not be satisfied. And then they resort to shit like this milking every last possible revenue option. Unfortunately.
Visit my webpage Angry Sheep Blog

Offline jraju

  • Poster
  • *
  • Posts: 417
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #81 on: February 08, 2020, 02:50:53 AM »
Hi, thanks for your view, but jumpshot said to be a subdiary co of avast.
Then how did you not suspect the major avast is a concern to me.
When you sign with any company, do not avast stipulate conditions for use of data.
Plelase also give a link to how jumpshot, misused our data.
The morality of avast may be seemed to be high, bujt what they leaked to milk and ghee users data is never foregiable in the time to come.
Still they are just keeping mum on the jumpshot matter.
you and i know , that jumpshot has been shut down.
Alll the members staff of avast did a disservice to mankind.
and it is my last word avast   a   vast lost of confidence
i switched to mse

Offline sekgrranin

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #82 on: February 11, 2020, 12:10:10 PM »
It is clear that Avast has been looking for a revenue model to finance the takeovers of some of its partners.
This has resulted not only in the sale of confidential information, but also in the marketing of products that seem unnecessary to me.
The morality has been sacrificed for the sake of commerce, and that's the last thing you want.
I'll stay with Avast until I've had enough, fortunately we're not married  ;D

I never had a single doubt about morality of original avast! team. But when investors are involved, shit always happens because they are NEVER satisfied with any revenue or profits. Company can be making trillions and they'd still not be satisfied. And then they resort to shit like this milking every last possible revenue option. Unfortunately.
Hello RejZoR
Respect to you
I am a small user of the computer tool (9 years that I am on PC and on the internet randomly).
No notion of security or coding.
However, I like to search for real information on European (French (that I am)) German, Italian, Spanish) and English-speaking (especially American) forums.
I have been using Avast free for free for 9 years.
Never  soucis
The questions I ask myself:
How many users actually pay Avast (so how much in Avast Free) out of the 400,000,000 users (probably less now especially with the advent of Windows 10)
According to my information less of than 10%, none  security system provider works like this.
How many engineers, technicians, developers are there with the Avast company,therefore pay by Avast ???
1700:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avast
https://foundation.avast.com/who-we-are
Now let's see how other IT companies behave.
Do we use Windows 10, Word, Excel; Alphabet for free?
The result is edifying: 40 billion profit for Microsoft.
150,000 employees (constant increase)
And what is Microsoft doing with its telemetry ???
I'm not talking about Facebook (what do they do with our data?)
From Amazon or Alphabet.
https://www.informatiquenews.fr/microsoft-un-ca-en-croissance-de-14-et-benefice-qui-explose-62815
« Last Edit: February 11, 2020, 12:37:06 PM by sekgrranin »

Offline Pondus

  • Probably Bot
  • ****
  • Posts: 37504
  • Not a avast user
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #83 on: February 11, 2020, 12:35:51 PM »
Quote
How many users actually pay Avast (so how much in Avast Free) out of the 400,000,000 users (probably less now especially with the advent of Windows 10)

AV vendors market share (click on vendor for details)  https://metadefender.opswat.com/reports/anti-malware-market-share#!/




Offline sekgrranin

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #84 on: February 11, 2020, 01:00:24 PM »
Quote
How many users actually pay Avast (so how much in Avast Free) out of the 400,000,000 users (probably less now especially with the advent of Windows 10)

AV vendors market share (click on vendor for details)  https://metadefender.opswat.com/reports/anti-malware-market-share#!/
Hello Pondus
Thank you
I did not find the number of free users in your link

Offline bob3160

  • Avast Überevangelist
  • Probably Bot
  • *****
  • Posts: 48523
  • 64 Years of Happiness
    • bob3160 Protecting Yourself, Your Computer and, Your Identity
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #85 on: February 11, 2020, 02:13:58 PM »
Quote
How many users actually pay Avast (so how much in Avast Free) out of the 400,000,000 users (probably less now especially with the advent of Windows 10)

AV vendors market share (click on vendor for details)  https://metadefender.opswat.com/reports/anti-malware-market-share#!/
Hello Pondus
Thank you
I did not find the number of free users in your link
I'm still trying to figure out what it is that you are trying to convey or trying to find out.
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 sekgrranin

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #86 on: February 11, 2020, 05:53:13 PM »

I'm still trying to figure out what it is that you are trying to convey or trying to find out.
[/quote]
Hello bob3160
Sorry if I'm not legible.
I will try to explain myself.
I am angry with the detractors of the company Avast
Indeed it is a small computer security company which tries to protect more than 400,000,000 Internet users in the world with its low means (1,700 employees) and in more for free!
Indeed most of the Avast users do not give a $ to use the services of this company.
This society must therefore use legal means to live and prosper.
Yes, I say legal because others, as I have demonstrated in other posts or in my writings above do it but more slyly and more difficult to detect.
I don't care that Avast knows my email address, my geolocation, the sites where I connect, what I buy .... etc ... etc
For 9 years of using Avast, I have never had a phishing mailbox (I have 9), neither had a virus, nor had invasive advertising (I use µBlock O, Privacy Badger, Click Clean and private browsing)
So to answer your question directly, I wonder how many people are paying for Avast services.
According to my research, less than 10% of users.
Personally, I'm in Free.
I point out that I am in no way linked either closely or far with Avast.
I am a 72 year old retired French gentleman who has no connection with Avast but who knows respect and recognition when it needs to be said
« Last Edit: February 11, 2020, 06:01:46 PM by sekgrranin »

Offline bob3160

  • Avast Überevangelist
  • Probably Bot
  • *****
  • Posts: 48523
  • 64 Years of Happiness
    • bob3160 Protecting Yourself, Your Computer and, Your Identity
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #87 on: February 11, 2020, 06:09:32 PM »
I still don't know what you're trying to express that hasn't already been said but hope you now feel better since you got it off your chest.
Have a great day. :)
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 sekgrranin

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #88 on: February 11, 2020, 08:05:57 PM »
but hope you now feel better since you got it off your chest.

I'm glad to see that you understand me...
 ;)

Offline Pondus

  • Probably Bot
  • ****
  • Posts: 37504
  • Not a avast user
Re: Recent news about Avast selling our data
« Reply #89 on: February 11, 2020, 09:01:05 PM »
Quote
How many users actually pay Avast (so how much in Avast Free) out of the 400,000,000 users (probably less now especially with the advent of Windows 10)

AV vendors market share (click on vendor for details)  https://metadefender.opswat.com/reports/anti-malware-market-share#!/
Hello Pondus
Thank you
I did not find the number of free users in your link
https://metadefender.opswat.com/reports/anti-malware-market-share#!/avast-software-as