I can assure you your Korean router or your Chinese Smart Tv are definitely maybe not doing the same thing, neither is GCHQ piggy backing into every communication device and the Americans would sooner chop their fucking hand off than breach your privacy. :)Kaspersky, allegedly, is involved with this Russian involvement of fake news etc. Make of that what you will. It is alleged that Kaspersky collects information about you and your browsing habits from elements of its program.
If you have Windows 10 you are probably okay without one, it comes with its own scanner. I find virus scanners slow things down and are pointless because they often can't remove viruses easily and they never prevent them anyway.
Just keeping things updated and avoiding dodgy sites and dodgy emails wll protect you from 99% of viruses.
Malware on the other hand is different and it is always worth having something - Malware Bytes, Spybot S&D and Hitman Pro have always done me well.
Add Noscript browser plugin, and clicking in links is less of an issue, as it’s stops any ‘active’ content from running ... until you allow it. Bit of a pain at the start, until you allow legit websites, but means that clicking random links gives you a chance of surviving, also means ads are blocked.This was the advice I was given when my laptop went in a few months ago. Standard Windows Defender, plus he installed free Malware Bytes.
No problems since. It had gone in with a virus because of my own stupidity. Think fcukin carefully before clicking on anything.