Security News > 2020 > January > Avast Stops Using Security Software to Track Browsing Data

Facing intense criticism, anti-virus software maker Avast on Thursday said it will shut down Jumpshot, its data collecting side business.

The Avast subsidiary has been funneling to marketers detailed internet browsing activity from the firm's security products and browser extensions.

An investigation by Vice's Motherboard and PCMag discovered that Avast was using its large installation base to collect users' browsing histories, details of online purchases and even search engine queries, and then selling this data to third parties via Avast's Jumpshot arm.

According to Jumpshot's website, the software evolved, adding tracking tools that could collect search data, click data and purchase data from 150 websites, including Amazon Google, Netflix and Walmart.

Why did Avast begin collecting detailed browsing data in 2015? The company explained its rationale in a May 2015 blog post, when it began to roll out Jumpshot.

News URL

https://www.inforisktoday.com/avast-stops-using-security-software-to-track-browsing-data-a-13672