Avast to Pay $16.5M Settlement for Selling User Data Without Consent

Nearly 3.7 million customers are eligible for compensation after the FTC found Avast improperly sold sensitive browsing data through a subsidiary.

The FTC has ordered Avast to pay $16.5 million after the company was found to have sold user browsing data without proper consent.
Data sold included sensitive information such as religious beliefs, health concerns, political leanings, and financial status, collected through antivirus software and browser extensions.
Avast claimed to anonymize the data, but the FTC determined the process was insufficient to protect user identities.
Eligible customers who purchased Avast antivirus software between August 2014 and January 2020 will receive email notifications by March 7, 2025, with instructions to file a claim.
The deadline to file claims is June 5, 2025, with payments expected to be distributed by mail in 2026.