2 replies to this topic

[wjfox]

Antivirus firm Avast is reportedly selling users' web browsing data

January 27, 2020 9:28 AM PST

Avast, which makes free antivirus software that's used by millions of people around the world, is reportedly selling "highly sensitive" web browsing data via a subsidiary company called Jumpshot. The software appears to track users clicks and movements across the web, and collects data on things like searches on Google and Google Maps, as well as visits to specific LinkedIn pages, YouTube vids and porn websites, according to an investigation published Monday by Motherboard and PCMag.

The collected data is then reportedly repackaged and sold by Jumpshot, which says on its website that it's able to deliver data on users actions behind "the Internet's most valuable walled gardens." Some past and present Jumpshot customers, as well as potential clients, include Google, Yelp, Microsoft, Pepsi, Home Depot, Intuit and others, according to the report, which cites "leaked user data, contracts and other company documents."

https://www.cnet.com...-browsing-data/

[Erowind]

As sad as it is if the software isn't open source it's likely that your data is being sold. Even then not all code can be combed through and only free and open source software is often truly safe. I use bitdefender and malwarebytes. They probably collect data and though I'm not comfortable with it at least I've kept myself out of the big ad networks from Google, Facebook and mostly Amazon.

[Outlook]

Yea, definitely. A lot of software companies probably do it, Avast just got caught.