Avast is a good product. I can forgive a lot in that they offer good security to the masses - for free.
But this is NOT why I purchased Avast. I had this pop up on my screen this AM. I was notified by Chrome that it had was being added, was offered a choice to decline, and I declined. (Thanks Chrome - NO thanks Avast).
How do I, (or CraigB) know, if SafePrice isn’t making “Pay to Play” recommendations?
Maybe THAT’s what grovegal needs to look into - Paying Avast to recommend her products above those who sell higher - even thoughshe may not be selling at the absolute lowest price.
I just purchased Avast a week and a half ago. It is Avast 2015. It installed SafePrice without any warning at all. So it is simply untrue that “It isn’t part of the Avast 2015 install.” I am extremely unhappy with this adware getting installed without my knowledge, especially since I am using the paid version. And not at all obvious how to disable it. First experience with Avast is very disappointing. Very likely to uninstall and request a refund. What a shame.
My Chrome browser notified me a few minutes ago that a new extension had been added to Chrome “without my knowledge” and that extension was named AVAST SAFE PRICE. So I am thinking WTF!!! Actually, I have not consciously updated Avast for quite awhile (months ago), so if this a real thing (Avast installed today 31-Jan-2015 a plugin without letting know) then my long term confidence in Avast as a company and a product has just been fully deflated! BTW, I just confirmed my Avast version is 2015.10.0.2208 (…and I am still thinking WTF!!!).
I found this thread via a forum search so I hope it is the right place to post this. Advise if not. I only read the last page or so and it seems well related to my concerns. But no matter what the rest of the thread says, and whatever excuses are made for this, it is still just wrong to covertly modify my computer. CHROME:1 AVAST:0 for today.
Yea same complaint as others here…
I pay for Avast and love it, but just today I received a Chrome notification that this extension was trying to run without permission from Avast itself, and was something I did not elect to download.
I do not appreciate an unrelated product attempting to infiltrate it’s way onto my computer, no matter the reason given.
It also seems somewhat predatory given how it was done only through the Chrome browser, as another member of my family could have easily not have noticed such a passing permission request from a trusted source such as Avast…
I am glad Avast thinks they have another useful product on their hands, (I personally have no use for it, given my own very careful steps that I take visiting seedy sites to purchase things) but they should advertise it separately on their website as a separate product for willing users to download!
Attempting to sneak it in through a plugin just because I have another plugin that corresponds with something I have purchased - just lowers your reputation as a company in the eyes of this customer.
I don’t use chrome so I can’t speak from personal experience - but as has been mentioned avast no longer includes the SafePrice odd-on as part of the installation.
So you would have to download it as a chrome add-on - We (regular avast and forum users) have seen a number of issues related to chrome add-ons. By all accounts there is an add-on recovery/refresh function whereby a deleted add-on can be refreshed/reinstalled. This was seen in the viruses and worms forum where a malicious add-on was removed, but on reboot it was restored by chrome.
I don’t know if that might be what is going on here in chrome for those joining this topic late on.
Hi DavidR,
Chrome SafePrice plugin is part of Avast installation, but few days postponed.
Nevertheless we cannot force the installation of the plugin and the user has to always accept the installation. So for ironhorse86 and dougrobbins2002: You can just decline the installation of SafePrice plugin, or ignore it completely. It won’t be turned on until you agree to it.
This is obviously a change from what the practice was not that long ago.
Originally it was part of the initial install package, then it was removed and available as a separate install for those that wanted it.
Now, it again appears to be part of the program install. ???
Thank you for the OP. I am just casting my vote to say I’m appalled to find a sleazy price finder on my toolbar! Why not just put porn on my tool bar and when I complain respond with “Just remove it” You miss the point of protection-ware. Definitely seeking alternatives. Trust has been betrayed.
Apologies for bumping this back to life but I needed to vent my frustration with safe price as well. I carefully selected “custom” installation for Avast! Free AV 2015. I selected only the shields and web protection. Nowhere did Avast offer any info regarding this safe price crap. I understand that I can uninstall the web protection option and I certainly shall but I am actually appalled that my AV program would include such nonsense at all … never mind without full disclosure upfront. To hide it in “web protection” is so ironic as to be almost laughable … except I’m not laughing.
I was a loyal user of Avast for about 10 years. In 2013-2014 I became discouraged with all the bloat and incompatibilities that surfaced. I was hoping Avast straightened out its act in the past 2 years but I can see it hasn’t. Too bad. It was such a reliable program for so long …
In Firefox Safeprice is part of Avast Online Security, and not a seperate module you can choose ( not ) to install.
However you can deselect it if you don’t want to use it.
It actually did make me feel a little better Bob … Thanks
Nonetheless, whatever you’ve shown in your post was not an option for me. It did not appear on the custom installation screen and I found no reference whatsoever to it once the installation was up and running. I checked both within the program and on manage add-ons (IE10). Zip, nada, nuttin, nowhere.
Further, when I changed the installation to remove web protection, safe price magically disappeared.
Perhaps it is because I have the free version? Otherwise, I am at a loss to explain it.
Oh. My. Goodness. Avast certainly buried it well! Thank you VERY much for the step-by-step explanation; I now feel totally sheepish but am happy to gain the benefit of your patience and knowledge.
bow
And now I must go reinstall the web protection module! slinks off
Perhaps its because I’m using chrome but I don’t see the same image as posted above.
In regards to the safe price function… I was shocked it is built in to a malware/antivirus program and it has put me on guard a bit. (I will be keeping an eye out for another product with less “in your face” stuff.
And while it may not be related, I lost all my bookmarks and login settings about the same time my evaluation period expired on the full Avast suite. Just saying.
Perhaps I’ll be considered old fashioned, but I figure a company that focuses on one thing usually means it does it really well. A company that tries to be all things to all people may loose focus on the core product. Just my opinion.
I noticed more popup ads from Avast also.
The Safe price popup tool bar provides incorrect information… not all items it offered where the same or even a lower price and in my case they are not even in my country!
Back to the image I don’t have the option to enable disable like the previous post shows. Improvement or just different for different browser?
Just pointing it out for others.
