Chrome Web Store Removes Avast, AVG Extensions For Spying on Users

Google has removed multiple Chrome extensions by security software house, Avast, from the Chrome Web Store following similar actions from Mozilla and Opera, after those add-ons were plant to exist collecting far more user data than it is necessary to implement their advertised functionalities. While Google is yet to officially announce annihilation on the matter, NDTV says that the listing of banished extensions include Avast SafePrice, Avast Online Security and AVG SafePrice.

Beebom has verified that none of the aforementioned extensions are available on the Chrome spider web-store any more, just we cannot independently confirm when they were removed from the platform. The aforementioned add together-ons, which were available on Firefox, Chrome and Opera, are still existence used by millions of users globally, which isn't surprising, given that Avast and AVG together take around 400 million users around the world.

Google's crackdown comes more than two weeks after Mozilla and Opera pulled the controversial add-ons from their respective repositories following a detailed report from AdBlock programmer, Wladimir Palant, who claimed that the extensions were basically spyware masquerading equally security software. According to him, the Avast/ AVG Online Security extension and the Avast/ AVG Secure Browser were transmitting data that allowed the company to reconstructing the entire web-browsing history and browsing behavior of users.

According to Palant, "The corporeality of data being sent goes far beyond what's necessary for the extension to part, especially if you compare to competing solutions such equally Google Safe Browsing". Avast Software SRO, which owns both the Avast and AVG brands, admits collecting user data, but says that it is necessary to provide the advertised services. It also claims that storing the data shouldn't be a concern because of anonymization.