Prague, Czech Republic / Paris, France, June 7, 2022 - Avast (LSE:AVST), the global leader in digital security and privacy, today announced that Ondrej Vlcek, CEO of Avast, and Garry Kasparov, Chess Grandmaster and Avast Security Ambassador, will discuss the impact of limitations on digital freedom on online safety, privacy and overall digital wellbeing at the annual VivaTech event taking place in Paris.

The talk titled “Misinformation and the Deterioration of Digital Freedom” will take place in the afternoon on Friday, June 17, 2022. 

Since its inception over three decades ago, the free and unlimited space of the World Wide Web has evolved into a tool that is at the center of innovation, but simultaneously endangers our safety, privacy, and identity. This February, Russia took unprecedented steps to limit its citizens’ access to the internet in order to maintain control over information about the war in Ukraine. Such practices are part of the political strategy of autocracies to limit citizens’ access to information and feed them new and invented truths.

Garry Kasparov and Ondrej Vlcek both grew up in the Soviet-controlled zone where propaganda was part of the daily news. At VivaTech, they will discuss the latest research of Avast that shows how limitations to people’s digital freedom – for example through misinformation, censorship, and blocked social networks – also leads to weakened online safety, privacy, and overall digital wellbeing.

Garry Kasparov will also play twelve simultaneous games of chess at the conference against a dozen guests.

Schedule:

Thursday, June 16:
3:55pm: Chess exhibition

Friday, June 17:
10:00am: Press conference (location to be announced)

2:35 - 2:55pm : Misinformation and the Deterioration of Digital Freedom
Speakers: Garry Kasparov and Ondrej Vlcek

Both Garry Kasparov and Ondrej Vlcek will be available for interviews. 

About Garry Kasparov, Avast Security Ambassador
Garry Kasparov became the youngest world chess champion in history in 1985 and was the world's top-rated player for 20 years. He first discovered the potential of AI during his famous matches against the IBM supercomputer Deep Blue. Ever since, he’s spoken about future tech, most recently as Avast's security ambassador. His matches against arch-rival Anatoly Karpov and Deep Blue popularized chess and machine intelligence in unprecedented ways. His collected essays for Avast are available at: https://blog.avast.com/author/garry-kasparov.

About Ondrej Vlcek, Avast CEO
Ondrej Vlcek serves as Chief Executive Officer for Avast. Together with his senior management team, he executes on Avast’s vision to deliver people-centric security and spearheads the Company's product innovation program for emerging consumer technology categories, including AI and identity protection. Previously, he held the combined position of Executive Vice-President & General Manager, Consumer, and Chief Technology Officer. In this role, he led Avast’s transformation from a traditional PC antivirus vendor to the leading provider of a full portfolio of protection, privacy, and performance products for consumers.