United States of America: Finalised order in FTC investigation into Avast over allegations of selling web browsing data for advertising

On 26 June 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) finalised an order prohibiting software provider Avast from selling, disclosing, or licensing web browsing data for advertising purposes and ordered Avast to pay USD 16.5 million. The order is part of the FTC settlement agreement reached with Avast following charges that it had sold consumers' browsing data to third parties. The FTC's complaint alleged that Avast unfairly collected consumers' browsing information through its browser extensions and antivirus software, stored it indefinitely, and sold it without adequate notice and without consumer consent. The FTC also accused Avast of misleading users by claiming its software would protect privacy by blocking third-party tracking while not disclosing its sale of detailed, re-identifiable browsing data to over 100 third parties through its subsidiary, Jumpshot.