Avast is reportedly collecting and selling users’ web browsing data

Avast provides free anti-virus software, which is used by millions of people globally on various devices like Windows, Smartphones, and Mac. The users’ web browsing data are collected through browser plugins and given to their clients like Google, Microsoft, Pepsi, and Sephora. According to Motherboard and PCMag investigation, the selling data are highly secure and confidential between the selling company and purchasing clients. The highly sensitive documents are sold by Avast’s subsidiary company, Jumpshot.

In the Avast antivirus installed devices, the users’ data are collected, and Jumpshot repackaged it into different products and sold them to various giant companies.

Avast stated that they have stopped providing users information like name, email address, contact details, etc., to Jumpshot and the users always had an option to avoid sharing their data. A few clients have paid a large amount for products, including “All Clicks Feed” which tracks the users’ clicks, behaviour and activities across websites. Last year, a marketing firm paid two million dollars to Jumpshot for users’ web browsing data.

Some avast users informed Motherboard, they had no idea that the antivirus company sold their web browsing data. The investigation states that Avast is still gathering data, instead of browser plugins it uses antivirus program.

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