Avast under investigation for the sale of personal data to third-parties.

[kenny556]

https://betanews.com/2020/02/12/avast-under-investigation/

"One user says: Actually, its good that their saving a copy of that data. It will be invaluable in finding out just how extensive their betrayal really was."

[DavidR]

No what it means that they are under investigation, nothing more nothing less.

Speculation is a waste of time, you would have to wait for the end of the investigation and their report.

[kenny556]

david and if found guilty would you switch providers?

[DavidR]

Why, I have never had any illusions on the internet and privacy. 

Not to mention (unlike some) I was aware of my options and actually left the various avast data settings pretty much as they were.

I also used the Avast Online Security browser add-on in firefox for some time, before I removed it as I didn't feel it brought much to the party over and above my other browser security add-ons.

[RejZoR]

https://betanews.com/2020/02/12/avast-under-investigation/

"One user says: Actually, its good that their saving a copy of that data. It will be invaluable in finding out just how extensive their betrayal really was."

It's funny how it never even crosses anyone's mind about all the data Google or Facebook mine from users and sell to advertisers. just like 5000x larger operation than avast!. How sterile is their anonymization and how are they betraying everyone. Oh, but it's Google, no one cares how they betray everyone, they give us GMail, Chrome and Android and all that cool stuff. But bad avast!, go sit in a corner, you only provide an antivirus. People outraged uninstalling avast! asap and can live without antivirus, but they can't without GMail. Because living without Google is apparently hard and everyone just wave their privacy away instantly for Google. Heh.

[bob3160]

It's amazing, someone discovered the sharing of data which has the personal identifiers removed and it results in earth shattering headlines.
Breaches which make vast amounts of raw data available on almost a daily basis are reported as an every day occurrence and no one seems at all concerned.
If they are concerned, they chalk it up as just something that happens and life goes on.

[Mike ALA]

https://betanews.com/2020/02/12/avast-under-investigation/

"One user says: Actually, its good that their saving a copy of that data. It will be invaluable in finding out just how extensive their betrayal really was."

It's funny how it never even crosses anyone's mind about all the data Google or Facebook mine from users and sell to advertisers. just like 5000x larger operation than avast!. How sterile is their anonymization and how are they betraying everyone. Oh, but it's Google, no one cares how they betray everyone, they give us GMail, Chrome and Android and all that cool stuff. But bad avast!, go sit in a corner, you only provide an antivirus. People outraged uninstalling avast! asap and can live without antivirus, but they can't without GMail. Because living without Google is apparently hard and everyone just wave their privacy away instantly for Google. Heh.

Of course people know, and we're counting on it. It's not like Google or Facebook are hiding where their revenue comes from. The problem here is that it's not Google nor FB, it's Avast, who we pay to protect us from software made to steal data from us amongst other things. Even Avast themselves came to the conclusion that this was a bad idea and would affect people's tryst in them before it became a scandal if you are to believe them. And you guys are playing dumb if you don't see the difference.

[chris...]

pretty much agree with you except when you say

we pay to protect us from software made to steal data from us amongst other things.

when we don't pay for (issue seems to be to free version only)
After that, I'm not sure that we, the users, had any influence on what happened last week and the enquiry that has just been opened. I think we need to look a little higher and find out who benefits from this (bad) publicity.

[RejZoR]

https://betanews.com/2020/02/12/avast-under-investigation/

"One user says: Actually, its good that their saving a copy of that data. It will be invaluable in finding out just how extensive their betrayal really was."

It's funny how it never even crosses anyone's mind about all the data Google or Facebook mine from users and sell to advertisers. just like 5000x larger operation than avast!. How sterile is their anonymization and how are they betraying everyone. Oh, but it's Google, no one cares how they betray everyone, they give us GMail, Chrome and Android and all that cool stuff. But bad avast!, go sit in a corner, you only provide an antivirus. People outraged uninstalling avast! asap and can live without antivirus, but they can't without GMail. Because living without Google is apparently hard and everyone just wave their privacy away instantly for Google. Heh.

Of course people know, and we're counting on it. It's not like Google or Facebook are hiding where their revenue comes from. The problem here is that it's not Google nor FB, it's Avast, who we pay to protect us from software made to steal data from us amongst other things. Even Avast themselves came to the conclusion that this was a bad idea and would affect people's tryst in them before it became a scandal if you are to believe them. And you guys are playing dumb if you don't see the difference.

Erm, you ALSO did know avast! is selling it. They literally told that when installing program in plain sight with a whole page dialog. The outrage came with assertion that data sold was not anonymized enough and could potentially be traced back to individuals. What I said was, how do YOU or ANYONE knows data Facebook or Google is selling is anonymized correctly if at all? Since no one apparently even checked or doubted it, all is fine...

[bob3160]

All of these folks showing up with an agenda.
Love to know who sent them?

[Mike ALA]

All of these folks showing up with an agenda.
Love to know who sent them?

Put away the tinfoil hat Bob. Hear me out, could it be to find answers on what's going on? Do you have any other place where Avast might read and answer? We don't all have direct access to Avast folks like you and someone else here seem to have.

[bob3160]

All of these folks showing up with an agenda.
Love to know who sent them?

Put away the tinfoil hat Bob. Hear me out, could it be to find answers on what's going on? Do you have any other place where Avast might read and answer? We don't all have direct access to Avast folks like you and someone else here seem to have.

All the answer have already been supplied. End of story. If there's anything new, Avast will report it.

[Mike ALA]

All of these folks showing up with an agenda.
Love to know who sent them?

Put away the tinfoil hat Bob. Hear me out, could it be to find answers on what's going on? Do you have any other place where Avast might read and answer? We don't all have direct access to Avast folks like you and someone else here seem to have.

All the answer have already been supplied. End of story. If there's anything new, Avast will report it.

Doesn't fall on you Bob to decide when we're happy with the answers supplied. It also doesn't fall on you to downplay how many of us users feel about this. I'm also sure this story is far from over, as proven by the official investigations that have been launched, and Avast will feel the effects of this for many years to come. Honestly, they deserve it, bad business decisions should be punished by the clients.

[bob3160]

All of these folks showing up with an agenda.
Love to know who sent them?

Put away the tinfoil hat Bob. Hear me out, could it be to find answers on what's going on? Do you have any other place where Avast might read and answer? We don't all have direct access to Avast folks like you and someone else here seem to have.

All the answer have already been supplied. End of story. If there's anything new, Avast will report it.

Doesn't fall on you Bob to decide when we're happy with the answers supplied. It also doesn't fall on you to downplay how many of us users feel about this. I'm also sure this story is far from over, as proven by the official investigations that have been launched, and Avast will feel the effects of this for many years to come. Honestly, they deserve it, bad business decisions should be punished by the clients.

You're never going to be hppy. Have a nice one.