It has been announced that Apple is set to pay at least $32.5m to customers that have been hit with charges incurred by their children in kids’ mobile apps without their consent.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said that Apple will provide consumers with a full refund for in-app purchases made without permission from the account holders.
There have allegedly been tens of thousands of complaints about in-app purchases made by children.
Many children’s apps have hidden costs, with some requiring payments to unlock levels or accessories during games. If children are using their parents’ tablet to play these games, they can unknowingly end up spending lots of money to complete the game. The games are often free of charge on purchase from the app stores, but the extra in-app costs are only visible in the small print.
So what is being done to stop this happening in the future? An agreement with the FTC means that Apple must change its purchasing process to ensure that customers are giving their consent when purchasing items in mobile apps.
However, here are a few tips to avoid in-app purchases in the future.
– It is still advisable to always check the small print of the app before letting children loose on your mobile device.
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– Choose the games carefully and read the blurbs thoroughly to ensure that the games are not hiding anything regarding charges.
– It is a good idea to be aware that just because the game is free to purchase initially, it doesn’t mean it won’t charge you later on for in-app purchases.
– It could also be beneficial for you to play any games purchased first before your children, so you know the set-up of the game, whether each level requires payment and if the game is suitable.
– Putting a password on your phone or tablet and boosting your security settings can stop the little ones from playing the games or even purchasing apps when you’re not around to monitor your account.
– You can also check out some of the free or cheap apps for kids that will warn you of in-app purchases.
Have you been hit with in-app costs from your children’s games? Let us know in the comments below.
