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Shortly after Apple introduced new parental controls for in-app purchases oniPhone oriPad games, the company is being slapped with a lawsuit that says it hasn't done enough.
Earlier this week a Pennsylvania man, Garen Meguerian, filed a lawsuit against Apple that says that the company's policy for in-app purchases doesn't go far to prevent children from buying currency or points inside apps and games. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Northern California, requests class-action status and asks for unspecified damages and legal fees.
Meguerian brought the suit after his 9-year-old daughter downloaded the free iOS games Zombie Cafe, Treasure Story, and City Story, and then proceeded to buy virtual currency within the games, which ended up costing Meguerian $200, according to the complaint.
"These games are highly addictive, designed deliberately so, and tend to compel children playing them to purchase large quantities of Game Currency, amounting to as much as $100 purchase or more," the lawsuit reads.
The complaint notes that Apple requires a password in order to purchase anything from the App Store, and also acknowledges that Apple recently added the requirement via an iOS update that a password be entered before making purchases inside any app. The suit find fault with the fact that the password required for both scenarios is the same.
The Washington Post pushed the issue first, with a report in February about parents having to pay massive bills generated by their children buying items within games or apps without a clear understanding that they cost real money.
Then the FTC got involved, with Chairman John Leibowitz sending a letter to Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) confirming that he would review the way Apple marketed in-app purchases, in particular apps aimed at children.
Apple responded shortly thereafter with new parental controls in the iOS 4.3 update.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
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Earlier this week a Pennsylvania man, Garen Meguerian, filed a lawsuit against Apple that says that the company's policy for in-app purchases doesn't go far to prevent children from buying currency or points inside apps and games. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Northern California, requests class-action status and asks for unspecified damages and legal fees.
Meguerian brought the suit after his 9-year-old daughter downloaded the free iOS games Zombie Cafe, Treasure Story, and City Story, and then proceeded to buy virtual currency within the games, which ended up costing Meguerian $200, according to the complaint.
"These games are highly addictive, designed deliberately so, and tend to compel children playing them to purchase large quantities of Game Currency, amounting to as much as $100 purchase or more," the lawsuit reads.
The complaint notes that Apple requires a password in order to purchase anything from the App Store, and also acknowledges that Apple recently added the requirement via an iOS update that a password be entered before making purchases inside any app. The suit find fault with the fact that the password required for both scenarios is the same.
The Washington Post pushed the issue first, with a report in February about parents having to pay massive bills generated by their children buying items within games or apps without a clear understanding that they cost real money.
Then the FTC got involved, with Chairman John Leibowitz sending a letter to Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) confirming that he would review the way Apple marketed in-app purchases, in particular apps aimed at children.
Apple responded shortly thereafter with new parental controls in the iOS 4.3 update.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
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