UK government investigating in-app purchase pressure on children
The investigation is focusing on games that directly target children, the OFT says, via excessive pressure to make a purchase or to do something that requires a purchase. The OFT states this is illegal under the country's Consumer Protection Regulations Act of 2008.
"We are concerned that children and their parents could be subject to unfair pressure to purchase when they are playing games they thought were free, but which can actually run up substantial costs," said OFT Senior Director for Goods and Consumer Cavendish Elithorn. "The OFT is not seeking to ban in-game purchases, but the games industry must ensure it is complying with the relevant regulations so that children are protected. We are speaking to the industry and will take enforcement action if necessary."
According to OFT, 80 of the country's highest grossing Android apps on April 9 were freemium ones. Earlier this year, Apple paid upwards of $100 million in gift certificates to account holders whose children spent money without holder permission on Capcom's Smurfs Village iOS game, this after a settlement on a lawsuit which stated Apple "failed to adequately" disclose the presence of in-app purchases aimed at children.
Posted:
Related Forum: PC General Forum
Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/uk-government-investigating-in-app-purchase-pressure-for-childre/
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Comments
slapshot101Posted:
STaRzZ_HDII Just use a password on the phone or put security on it
How would you do that for the phone when it is already unlocked? I mean the password for iTunes is the password.
slapshot101Posted:
They should just have a feature where you can turn off in app purchases so that this doesn't happen. Seems simple enough.
CheeseStuffedPizzaPosted:
These get really annoying. Sucks if a parent has card info on the account.
SecretsPosted:
My sister is constantly asking to get in app purchases and she doesn't really that after a while she would have spent hundreds of dollars.
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