Millions of Avast antivirus software customers are getting a refund. Here's why.

Millions of Americans who purchased antivirus software from Avast may be eligible for compensation due to a $16.5 million settlement by the company with the Federal Trade Commission, the regulatory agency announced on Monday.

Nearly 3.7 million consumers who bought the software from Avast between August 2014 and January 2020 can expect emails to arrive in their inboxes this week or next notifying them of their eligibility to apply for compensation, the FTC stated.

According to regulators, Avast for years collected information on customers through its antivirus software and browser extensions including data on: