SPAM now includes messing with my SYSTRAY!?!?

Following someone else’s advice, I enabled “Silent Mode” on the FREE Avast program to throttle SPAM; but I’m guessing an update RE-enabled it without my authorization because once again, the pop-up spam’s reappeared.

QUESTION 1: Are we supposed to drill down to Silent Mode and DISABLE it every freaking time they disable it with an update?

QUESTION 2, 3, 4: Who the h3ll authorized the insertion of an UNSOLICITED AND UNWELCOME VPN icon with a red warning X on my system tray; how the h3ll do I remove it since the programmer conveniently failed to offer a REMOVE THIS ICON option, and how the h3ll do I STOP THIS SLEAZY programmer’s stunt of abusing “Run Once” code? If I wanted any of their PAID services, I’D ASK!

QUESTION 5: Bad enough we have to tolerate their convoluted and irritating drill-down-through-a-million-drop-down-menus layout scheme just to try to get an answer to a simple question. Where the hell is a decent HELP file or at least a complete site map path of ALL the bloody menus and options???

As others have often remarked here, I, too, am sick and tired of Avast’s spamming (and the tired company apologists’ line - “it’s free so we shouldn’t complain.”) The monetizing stunts they’re pulling are P1SS1NG ME OFF. >:(

If you’re using the free version, you cannot disable the offers of other products.
You can, otherwise, go to Control Panel and tweak your installation (removing some components that are paid).

Well there is a context menu help in the AvastUI.

If you open the UI at any section, the further down you drill in the UI sections the more information you get.