Avast Anti-Virus Company Is Fined for Tracking and Selling User Data

If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Avast, a well-known cybersecurity firm, has been confronted with a $16.5 million penalty from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). After the FTC complained alleging Avast of profiting from selling consumer data to third-party entities, the company found itself in this predicament. Contrary to the firm’s promise of guarding consumer data against tracking on the web, the FTC claimed that they’ve been acting against their word. They’ve allegedly been gathering and marketing user browsing data unbeknownst to the users, and additionally misleading them. We obtained a copy of the complaint for you here. Tracing way back to the late 1980s, Avast was founded in Czechoslovakia during the Soviet Bloc era. The company’s antivirus and other security software have evolved over the years. The FTC’s complaint points to Avast Limited, the UK-based entity, and its Czech subsidiary. The agency alleges these entities promised to halt tracking cookies from amassing data and curtail other trackers from following web activity, only to later sell that data to other businesses, a practice that has been in place since 2014 at least. In addition to this, the FTC charged that Avast misled users to believe their data would be shared in an “anonymous and aggregate form,” which allegedly wasn’t accurate. FTC Chairperson Lina Khan emphasized the sensitivity of browsing history, stating, “A person’s browsing history can reveal extraordinarily sensitive information,” including personal details ranging from romantic inclinations, financial challenges or…Avast Anti-Virus Company Is Fined for Tracking and Selling User Data