Security company Avast said it was protecting its customers from online dangers, while at the same time collecting and selling their data without permission.
Avast, known for its antivirus software, is being fined $16.5 million. Adobe Stock / AOP
The US Trade Commission FTC says that the information security company Avast sold its customers’ data to advertisers without permission at least between 2014 and 2020.
According to the FTC, Avast has resold data collected through both its antivirus software and browser add-ons.
The information includes data about, among other things, religious and political views, personal health concerns, financial status and location.
Avast’s operations made headlines for the first time in 2020. At the time, the company said it only sold anonymous data that could not be linked to specific customers.
However, in the FTC’s investigations, the matter was found to be different. According to it, the data sold by Avast contained identifiable information about, among other things, websites visited and the exact time of the visit, device and browser information, and the user’s location.
The Commerce Commission also accuses Avast of lying, as it claimed that its software prevented user tracking online, while at the same time it tracked its own users and sold their data.
Avast will be fined $16.5 million, and the FTC is also demanding that it be more transparent about what it uses the data it collects. In addition, Avast has to notify the affected customers about the sale of data. The FTC has also prohibited Avast from selling its customers’ data for marketing purposes.