Apple Hit with Suit Over iPhone In-App Game Purchases

Posted Apr 15, 2011 at 12:32PM EST by QJ Staff

Listed in: Gaming Tags: apple, In-app purchases, ios

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Under pressure from angry parents, Apple has made it more difficult for children to run up outrageous in-app charges while playing games, but this move came too late for one irate Pennsylvania man who has filed suit against the company charging “unlawful exploitation” of children. Following a flood of negative press about how children had been able to make purchases on their parents’ accounts without their knowledge, Apple now requires that passwords be entered to make in-app purchases. Despite this, Garen Meguerian claims that it’s still much too easy for children to make purchases while playing iPhone games. According to his suit, “Minors 13 and older are permitted to open their own Apple accounts, and minors younger than 13 may purchase Game Currency by using their parents' general Apple password (no special Apple password is required to purchase Game Currency.” The suit also claims that children “aware of such password may purchase Game Currency without authorization from their parents for that purchase.” Meguerian learned this the hard way when his nine-year-old daughter ran up around $200 making in-app purchases while playing such games as “City Story,” “Zombie Café” and “Treasure Story” back in February, before Apple changed its requirements. Meguerian’s suit charges Apple with, among other things, breach of contract and unjust enrichment, and he wants damages plus attorneys’ fees and costs.

What seems to be missing here is any proof that children are still running up huge bills after Apple supposedly fixed the problem with the release of iOS 4.3. If there has been a drastic drop in the number of complaints since Apple took action, I doubt this guy has a case.

   

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