“Apple is being sued by parents who claim the iPhone-maker is unfairly profiting from in-app payments in games aimed at children,” BBC News reports. “Many games on the iOS platform are free to download but offer game add-ons, some of which cost nearly £70.”
“The group said it was too easy for children to run up big bills without ‘authorisation of their parents,'” The Beeb reports. “Apple had called for the case to be dismissed, pointing out that in-app purchasing can now be disabled. However, US District Judge Edward Davila said the hearing could now go ahead.”
The Beeb reports, “In a recent update to its iOS software, Apple added extra steps in the in-app purchasing process, including the requirement to enter an additional password to buy items within apps. It is now also possible to turn the feature off entirely.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Once again, the legal system lags behind technology. And, shouldn’t these parents and their lawyers really be suing Lodsys? 😉
Now, if they were smart, they’d go get Kindle Fires and then they’d really have a case.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lynn Weiler” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Lack of parental controls on Amazon’s tiny screen Kindle Fire lets kids charge up a storm – December 12, 2011
Freemium and Apple’s App Store: The in-app purchasing model really works – October 14, 2011
Following Lodsys legal threats, Apple reportedly stops approving iOS apps with In-App Purchases – May 18, 2011
