Internet Security company Avast is facing a multimillion-dollar lawsuit in the Netherlands for collecting and selling sensitive user data to third-party companies between May 2015 and January 2020.
The civil lawsuit was announced on July 7 by the non-profit Consumers United in Court (CUIC) and Privacy First. So far, over 10,000 people have signed up to join the case.
This lawsuit stems from a January 2020 investigation by PCMag and Motherboard, which revealed that Avast sold user data to various third-party companies, including Google, Yelp, and Microsoft, through a subsidiary called Jumpshot.
Avast has since apologized and shut down Jumpshot, but the CUIC insists victims deserve monetary compensation and is seeking €800 (about $892) to €1100 (about $1226) for each affected user.
According to CUIC, Avast’s actions violated Dutch and European laws and betrayed users’ trust.
“Avast’s applications stopped viruses. However, at the same time they collected a huge amount of user data,” the CUIC explains on its website. “So, instead of protecting you, Avast harvested your data to sell on to third parties. Your data can now roam everywhere and be used for many purposes you were not made aware of.”
Avast’s Invasive Data Collection
Avast collected a trove of data from users who installed its antivirus and software extensions. This data include users’ browsing histories, search queries, GPS coordinates, the videos users watched on YouTube, the porn sites they visited, the products they purchased online, and more.
While users had the choice to opt-out, Avast didn’t explicitly inform them that it was selling their data, and many didn’t exercise that option. A quarter of Avast’s 435 million users were reportedly affected by this invasive practice.
“It is bizarre that Avast, a company that stands for online security, has collectively abused our trust,” a spokesperson for CUIC told the Dutch news outlet AD. “It is an upside-down world. You install an antivirus program to protect your PC, and you get espionage in return. We consider this a major scandal.”
According to the CUIC, Avast was invited to discuss the issue and reach an “amicable solution,” but the company said it did not want to negotiate. “Since the invitation for consultation did not yield the desired result, we will go to court,” the CUIC said.
The organization hopes this case forces companies to “act more fairly” and avoid using users’ data without their knowledge and consent.
“Through lawsuits like this, we want companies to not only hear this but also feel it, financially and in their reputation,” the organization said.
Protecting Your Privacy Online
It’s important to take charge of your privacy online. Many apps and website track users’ activities and collect data to deliver targeted ads. One of the best ways to limit the data online services can gather about you is by using a virtual private network (VPN). A
You can learn more about the benefits of a VPN and discover our top picks in our guide to the best VPN services.
While a VPN can offer some protection, it’s important to read the privacy policies of the apps you use to understand what data is being collected and how it is used.
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