Outline:

  1. Scope of Policy
  2. Information We Collect When You Visit Our Website
  3. Information We Collect When You Download or Use our Programs, Request Service or Support, or Pay for Products and Services
  4. Special Types of Personal Information
  5. Storage, Retention, and Deletion of Personal Information
  6. Information Security
  7. Compliance with Laws and Dispute Resolution
  8. How to Request Changes to Your Personal Information

I. Scope of Policy

This AVAST Privacy and Information Security Policy applies to AVAST Software a.s., Avast Software B.V., AVAST Software, Inc., each of their subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively "Avast"), and all of their contractors, representatives, agents, and resellers while they are working on behalf of Avast (collectively “we” or “us”). AVAST Software a.s. is a data controller of personal data processed in accordance with this policy. This policy applies to the following situations and activities that we engage in:

Online activities.

This means situations in which you or the users of your device or computer (collectively “you”) visit a website that we own or operate including or other websites under our direct control. This also includes circumstances where you download an Avast product or program or use an Avast service online, regardless of the site where you downloaded or use it, or who owns or operates that site. It also refers to interactions between your computer and us such as automatic updates, and our avast! WebRep, avast! FileRep, and avast! CommunityIQ features.

Phone contacts.

This includes calls for sales, service, or customer support. This policy will apply to any information that is collected from you when you call us.

Offline contacts.

Sometimes we may appear at a "live" or in-person event such as a trade show or promotion. If we collect any personally identifiable information in such a case, this policy will apply.

HR data.

This refers to data concerning Avast employees. In general, human resources (HR) data is handled in a manner consistent with the provision of this policy, except that such data is never used or shared with anybody for any direct marketing purposes, and the provisions of this policy relating to in-product messaging do not apply.

Reseller information.

This refers to information that is collected from prospective Avast resellers at the time they apply to join the Avast reseller program. Certain information may be collected regarding the reseller or its individual representative(s), including contact information such as telephone number and email address. Similar information may be obtained regarding sub-resellers, where applicable.

Other circumstances where you contact us.

This includes contact by email, by clicking the "report a virus" link on our website, through our media contact or news subscription services, by requesting online service or support or opening a support ticket, and any other time that you contact us.

When we refer to "personally identifiable information," "personal data," or "personal information," we mean information that can identify you such as name, identification number, email address, phone number, or other information that refers specifically to you. We generally do not mean information that only refers to a business or organization but does not describe any specific individual. We also generally do not mean information that has been "anonymized," or stripped of all identifiers that refer to you specifically.

II. Information We Collect When You Visit Our Website

Use of "cookies" and other similar technologies.
  • Cookies: When you visit our website, our server may place a small data file called a "cookie" (sometimes called "web cookie" or "browser cookie") on your hard drive. Most commercial websites use cookies. By using our site you agree to the use of cookies as described in this privacy policy. The data we acquire from cookies is processed by various analytics tools and may be used to determine your geographic location (via your IP address and automated geolocation techniques), or to acquire basic information about the computer, tablet, or mobile phone that you use to visit us. Geolocation data helps us to deliver content in the correct language, offer region- or country-specific products, and identify your local currency in the event of a purchase. Cookies can help you log in by remembering your user credentials (depending on which options you select in your profile settings). We may also use cookies to record your shopping cart contents and user registration information. Cookies can help us identify your preferences, including language and currency, for future use. Cookies usually expire within 30-60 days.

We never collect personally identifiable information about your browsing behavior outside of websites that we own or operate, but we may at times collect anonymized information in order to improve the accuracy of our services. We may also use cookies to collect anonymous information regarding downloads of our products from download site(s); this information is used only for statistical purposes, and no personal information is collected or stored. If you wish, you can disable cookies on your web browsing software. Click the "Help" tab in your browser window for more information.

  • Remarketing: In addition to foregoing we may employ 3rd party remarketing services. Remarketing is a way for us to reconnect with users, based upon your past interactions with the Avast website. Third-party marketing vendors may be hired by Avast to perform remarketing services. As a result, third-party vendors, including Google, may show Avast ads on sites on the Internet. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to Avast website. To opt out of customized Google Display Network ads visit the Ads Preferences Manager. Alternatively, you can opt out of third-party vendors’ use of cookies by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page. Any information collected is used only for remarketing purposes and will not be used by third-party marketing vendors for any other purpose.
  • Google Analytics and Adobe SiteCatalyst: In addition to the foregoing, we currently use two website analytics tools: Google Analytics and Adobe SiteCatalyst. These tools help us understand the use of our site by our visitors. Because Google Analytics and Adobe SiteCatalyst both require cookies to function, users who wish to avoid tracking by Google Analytics and Adobe SiteCatalyst while on our site can disable cookies on their web browsing software (see above).

Google Analytics is a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses “cookies” to help the website analyze how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

The Adobe SiteCatalyst service is part of the Adobe Digital Marketing Suite. Adobe SiteCatalyst uses cookies to help us collect and process non-personal information about how our visitors use our site including the number of unique visits, average time spent on particular pages, the identity of the referring webpage or domain, the search terms (if any) that led to our site, technical information such as web browsers and operating systems of our visitors, and cookie preferences and Java enablement. Additional information on the privacy practices of Adobe SiteCatalyst, including instructions on how to remove cookies or opt out of receiving future persistent cookies, is available here:

News subscriptions.

Our website offers news and information by subscription including newsletters, blogs, or others. If you decide to subscribe to these services you may be asked to provide your first and last name, email address, and country of residence. If you subscribe to our "Reports and Bloggers" email newsletter (for media professionals), you will be asked to provide your first and last name, email address, title, publication name, and country. The information you provide will be used to deliver the content that you request. We will never use this information for direct marketing purposes unless you agree on a case-by-case basis (also known as "opting in"). We may use the information you provide to help develop content that is relevant to our professional media audiences. You are free to cancel your subscription(s) at any time by visiting

"Refer a friend."

There may be times when we post a "refer a friend" link that allows a site visitor to request that we send a message to a friend about an Avast product or service. You may request us to send a message only to those of your friends who have agreed to receive a message about an Avast product or service from us. We will respond by sending a single email message to the address provided. Contact with the friend will be by email only; we will never request that our users provide a friend's phone number or other contact information. We will not make any record of the email address that is provided, and after sending a single message we will not contact the friend again in response to the "refer a friend" request.

"Contact us."

There are many opportunities to contact us via our website. There are links that allow you to reach us by email, by clicking a "report a virus" link, by clicking our media contact or news subscription buttons, or by requesting online service or support. In addition, U.S. users may be able to request a free in-person presentation with Avast security experts using a form on our "Community" pages. In general, the amount of information that we collect when you contact us will be in proportion to the nature of the contact. For example, if you contact us by email, we will require your email address in order to reply.

"Community" pages.

One of the features of our website is the "Community" section. This section includes a comments area, links to user pages, links to blogs, links to the avast! Forum, and links to third-party sites such as Twitter and Facebook. When you use any of the features of our "Community" section the following provisions will apply:

  • User comments: You may post a general comment in the "Overview" section of the "Community" pages using your Facebook, Yahoo!, Hotmail, or AOL user ID. In such a case, the user ID that appears beside your comment will be the user ID for the service that you have selected (Facebook, etc.). If you have a primary photo connected with your user ID, that photo will appear beside your user comment. Clicking on a thumbnail or profile link from our "Community" pages will take you to the third-party site from which the thumbnail or link was imported (for example, Facebook). Your use of a user ID from a third-party site is governed by the terms and conditions of the third party, but must also comply with our terms and conditions. The section below entitled "Third-party content and sites" will apply.
  • Sweepstakes and promotions: We may sometimes offer sweepstakes, giveaways, or other promotions from the "Community" pages. In that case, we will use the information we receive for purposes of the promotion and no other purpose. We will never use your information for direct marketing purposes unless you "opt in" on a case-by-case basis. All other terms and conditions applicable to the promotion will be in the official rules that we publish.
avast! Forum.

The avast! Forum is accessible from the "Community" pages or "Support" section of our website. Certain features require registration in order to participate.

  • If you decide to register, you will be asked to select a username, password, and physical location. Disclosing your physical location is optional. You will also be required to provide an email address for use in connection with avast! Forum. You may allow other users to send you messages if you wish.
  • Once registered for avast! Forum you may control your privacy settings by visiting your "Profile" page. You can modify your settings at any time. You can also view your past posts, usage stats, password settings, and user profile as seen by others. You have the option to provide additional information if you wish. You may provide personal text; disclose your birth date and age; identify your gender, ICQ number, messenger username, or website name and address; disclose your physical location; and select an avatar or personalized picture. Any information you provide here will be visible to other users. The following minimum items of information will be available to all users, regardless of your profile settings: your username, your total number of posts and posts per day, the date and time you registered, your local time, and the date and time of your last activity.
Support Portal.

You may also join the Support Portal at support.avast.com. Certain features require registration in order to participate. Registration for the Support Portal is separate from registration for avast! Forum. When you register for the Support Portal you will be asked to provide your full name and email address, and select a password. No other information is required to register. This information is not shared with other users.

avast! Account.

avast! Account (my.avast.com) is a tool which permits you to register multiple products using a single registration and authentication system. If you choose to use avast! Account you will be asked to provide your first name, last name, and email address. You will also be asked to select a password. We may use this information for purposes of validating your license, providing support, delivering additional products and services, and enabling you to change your avast! Account and/or product settings.

Third-party content and sites.

There may be times when we offer links to third-party sites such as Twitter, Facebook, or others.

  • Third-party links are provided for convenience only, and should not be construed as an endorsement, approval, or guarantee of any such third-party sites or the content they offer. We may also offer links to join us on Facebook, Twitter, or other third-party sites. If you click on such a link and navigate away from our site, your use of the third-party site will be governed by the terms and conditions, privacy policy, and information security policy of the third-party site.
  • Occasionally thumbnails and user profiles (including your primary photo) from these sites will be imported onto our "Community" pages, as is the case if you post a comment that is linked to your Facebook profile. Clicking on such a thumbnail or profile link will take you away from the Avast website to a third-party site (for example, Facebook). By connecting from our website to any third-party site, you agree that we are not responsible for any loss or damage you may suffer as a result of your dealings with the third party, or your use of or reliance on any of that party's content.

III. Information We Collect When You Download or Use our Programs, Request Service or Support, or Pay for Products and Services

Free product downloads generally.

You are not required to disclose any personal information in order to download avast! Free Antivirus, avast! Free Antivirus for Mac, or avast! Free Mobile Security, and you are permitted to use these programs up to 30 days without registration. Within 30 days, you are required to register your copy of avast! Free Antivirus, avast! Free Antivirus for Mac, or avast! Free Mobile Security in order to continue using these programs for up to 12 months. After 12 months re-registration is required. The first time you set up the program you will be required to select a language, and you will be asked if you want to participate in the avast! Community by enabling your computer to provide security-related information on an as-needed basis. Participation in avast! Community is purely voluntary.

  • Online product registration: To register our products online, you are generally required to provide your email address and select a password. We use this information to validate our users and verify the number of current licenses in existence. We may also use it to verify that copies of our product are legitimate, and not counterfeit. We will not use this information for direct marketing purposes unless you "opt in" to receive such communications from us, except that we may notify you of similar products or services that we offer to the extent that we are permitted to do so by law. We may send you an email if your license expires to ask if you want to renew. We may also request additional information such as your name, demographic information, or other information. This information generally is not required, but you may provide it if you wish.
  • In-product registration: If you prefer, instead of online registration you may select "Registration form" from within the product interface. The registration form will request your email address and ask you to select a password. We may also ask general demographic questions such as your level of computer experience or your prior antivirus program. Any information other than your email address and password is optional.
  • avast! Account: In some cases, you may be permitted to register multiple Avast products using a single registration and authentication system called avast! Account. If you choose to use avast! Account you will be asked to provide your first name, last name, and email address. You will also be asked to select a password. We may use this information for purposes of validating your license, providing support, delivering additional products and services, and enabling you to change your avast! Account and/or product settings. In the future this information may also be connected with your registration for avast! Forum and the Support Portal.
  • Registration and log-in via Facebook: In addition to the foregoing, it is possible to register avast! Free Antivirus and to sign in to avast! Account via Facebook. If you choose this method for registration and sign-in, you will be asked to share certain information from your Facebook account with Avast. This information will include your first and last name, your profile picture, your gender, your network(s), your friends’ user IDs, and any other information that you made public in your Facebook preferences. You will also be required to share your email address with us. Of the foregoing information, we store only your first and last name, network(s), and email address. We do not store any other user information that we obtain from Facebook. Any of the above information that we store is kept in our internal database, using SSL technology and under minimum 256-bit key encryption. We do not allow access to any of this information to third parties.

If you choose Facebook as your registration or sign-in method, you will be asked for permission for Avast to take certain actions on your behalf. Specifically, we will request permission to post on your behalf in the following cases: (1) you register or install an Avast product; (2) you update an Avast program; or (3) an Avast program protects you from visiting an infected website. The messages that might be posted in such cases could include the following, or similar messages: