Security News > 2021 > May > UK's Competition and Mergers Authority shows some teeth over McAfee antivirus auto-renewals

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has reached agreement with antivirus vendor McAfee that means some customers whose software subscription was automatically renewed will be able to get a refund.

It's quite the slap on the wrist for McAfee, whose software tends to be bundled with a large number of devices sold in the UK. Customers who signed up with the company may not have understood the ins and outs of auto-renewal, hence the CMA action.

McAfee has been instructed to make its pricing clearer It must also make instructions on turning off auto-renewal and getting refunds clearer on its website.

"McAfee is pleased to have reached agreement with the CMA on our shared goal of improving the ease, fairness and transparency of business-to-consumer practices and policies. Our work with the CMA aligned with our efforts to enable customers to maintain ongoing protection while retaining control over their McAfee subscription."

We asked the vendor for its take on the fate of McAfee and its own court case, but it has yet to respond.

The sheer ubiquity of McAfee's products means many may have simply opted to register without realising the full implications of auto-renewal.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/05/25/cma_mcafree/