AVG to sell users’ non-cofidential data under update to privacy policy

With a recent update to its Privacy Policy, online security company, AVG Technologies would now be able to sell users' non-identifying data, such as their device's brand, the applications they use, as also many others in order to make money from their free consumer products.

An announcement to this effect was made by Gary Kovacs, AVG's CEO earlier this week at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2015 keynote speech.

Kovacs stated at the MWC that the new Privacy Policy was easy to understand and he even dared the security industry to do the same with their customers so they could be aware of their information management.

The option was added to some of the company's free services, and they assured that unless customers agreed, their personal information would not pass to third parties.

AVG with more than 200 million monthly active users, announced that it had released the One-Page Privacy Policy first pledged by AVG CEO, Gary Kovacs, in his Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2015 keynote speech.  AVG's new Privacy Policy can be read at: http://www.avg.com/privacy-new and will take effect on 15 October, 2015, providing AVG's users time to read and understand it before it becomes effective.

At MWC, Kovacs promised that AVG would develop a simple privacy policy that can communicate on one page the basics of what data AVG collects and how AVG uses it.

He challenged the industry to follow suit by offering the same transparency with users.

AVG's launch of its One-Page Privacy Policy affirms AVG's commitment to its users and their fundamental right to control how their information is being used,  AVG said.

''Without privacy online, there can be no security; and without security, there can be no trust,'' said Harvey Anderson, Chief Legal Officer, AVG Technologies.

He added, ''At AVG, we value our customers and believe they should know exactly how their information is being used by us. Therefore, we have updated our Privacy Policy to make it simpler, clearer and more transparent – representing only part of a continual evolution to improve AVG user choice and control.''

In 2009, Eugene Kaspersky, co-founder of one of the world's top security companies, told some of his lieutenants to attack rival antivirus software maker AVG Technologies NV by "rubbing them out in the outhouse," one of several previously undisclosed emails shows Reuters reported (See: Kaspersky security founder threatened to 'rub out' AVG: Report).