WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken significant action by issuing claim forms to approximately 3.7 million consumers who were affected by misleading marketing tactics associated with antivirus software sold by Avast.
The FTC’s complaint, which was filed in February 2024, accused Avast of deceiving its customers by assuring them of privacy protection while neglecting to reveal that it was collecting and selling detailed, identifiable browsing data. This data, harvested through Avast’s software, was reportedly sold to over 100 third parties through its subsidiary, Jumpshot.
Settlement Details
As part of a settlement agreement, Avast is required to pay .5 million to compensate the consumers impacted by these practices. Furthermore, the company is now prohibited from misrepresenting its data usage policies and from selling or licensing browsing data from its Avast-branded products for advertising purposes. The settlement also includes various compliance measures designed to prevent any future violations.
The FTC is reaching out to 3,690,813 customers who purchased Avast antivirus software between August 2014 and January 2020. Eligible recipients will receive email notifications between now and March 7, 2025, detailing how they can apply for compensation.
Consumers who qualify can submit their claims at www.ftc.gov/Avast. The amount of compensation will vary depending on the total number of claims filed.
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