Skip to main content

Apple dealt class action lawsuit over in-app purchases, child ‘exploitation’

zombie_cafe_apple_lawsuit_in_app_purchaseA Pennsylvania father has filed a lawsuit against Apple for allowing in-app purchases in free iPhone games, which he claims allows children to spend real-world money without even knowing it.

Filed by Garen Meguerian of Phoenixville, PA, on behalf of himself and other parents and legal guardians, the lawsuit charges that Apple has enabled unauthorized charges for in-game content, which amounts to “unlawful exploitation” of children, reports Apple Insider. The suit specifically targets games made for iOS devices, like the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch that include the option for digital merchandise.

The games that sparked the lawsuit include Zombie Cafe, Treasure Story and City Story. Through these games, Meguerian’s two daughters, ages 9 and 12, racked up $200 in in-app purchases, for things like “Zombie Toxin,” “Gems” and “City Cash.”

The problem, says Meguerian in the suit, was that Apple allowed for in-app purchases for 15 minutes after the iTunes account password has been entered. This enabled app users to authorize whatever purchases they like, even if they didn’t have permission from the account holder, who was then stuck with the bill.

As noted in the lawsuit, Apple recently changed its policy for in-app purchases in the iOS 4.3 update to require password entry for each purchase. But this wasn’t good enough for Meguerian, who charges that Apple pocketed “millions of dollars” before implementing the policy change. He also says that the password is not enough to stop unauthorized purchases.

“Because the passwords now required for purchases of Game Currency are the same passwords required for any Apple purchase, minors aware of such password may purchase Game Currency without authorization from their parents for that purchase,” the lawsuit states.

This lawsuit follows an instance in which an 8-year-old girl was able to amount a $1,400 bill through in-app purchases made in the Capcom game Smurf’s Village. Following this case, the US Federal Trade Commission launched an investigation against Apple for its in-app purchase system.

Topics
Andrew Couts
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Features Editor for Digital Trends, Andrew Couts covers a wide swath of consumer technology topics, with particular focus on…
The Alienware m16 R2 gaming laptop with RTX 4070 is $500 off
The Alienware m16 R2 on a table in front of a window.

The gaming laptop deals of the holiday season aren't over yet, as there are still some excellent offers, such as Dell's discount for the Alienware m16 R2 with the Nvidia RTX 4070. From its original price of $2,600, the machine is down to $2,100. It's still pretty expensive, but it's actually a steal at that price, and the $500 in savings is huge. You're going to have to be quick in completing your purchase though, as there's no information on how much time is remaining before this bargain expires.

Why you should buy the Alienware m16 R2 gaming laptop
We highlighted the Alienware m16 R2's great gaming performance in our review of the gaming laptop, and this configuration that's on sale comes with the mighty Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card. Combined with the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor and 64GB of RAM, which doubles the recommended specification from our guide on how much RAM do you need, the Alienware m16 R2 won't have trouble running the best PC games at their highest settings. It's going to be ready for the upcoming PC games of the next few years as well -- it will be a while before you need to start thinking about making any upgrades.

Read more
This is why Sling is the streaming choice for reality TV fans
Sling TV lifestyle watching at the dinner table

It is almost 2025, and if that seems as unreal to you as we suspect it might, consider an unlikely source of earthly grounding — Reality TV. Specifically, reality TV through Sling Blue. Sling Blue is Sling’s base package with an extra kick of entertainment options from the likes of USA, truTV, and E! for all of your watching needs. Right now a Sling Blue subscription is $45.99 but, for a limited time, you can get your first month for half the usual price. Go ahead and tap the button below to check it out yourself.

While you’re there, pop in your zip code to make sure you have access to local channels. You’ll need them to get access to some of the top reality TV shows listed below. Keep reading to see the exciting reality programming coming this January and why you may even want to add on their extra entertainment package for more goodies.

Read more
Get Sling for half off just before these three major NFL games
Sling TV app icon on Apple TV.

Whether you bond with family over it or need a break from the onslaught of family time, ‘Christmas Saturday’ is a legendary time to watch some football. There’s a great triple header of games being featured that day that include both Los Angeles teams, plus the New England Patriots, Bengals, Cardinals, and Broncos for you to watch that day. And where do we recommend you watch it? On Sling. Sling is a fantastic way to watch all of NFL football games, and this triple-header. Right now, Sling base packages are just $45.99 per month, but you can get your first month (just in time for Christmas Saturday) for half off. Then, add the NFL Network add-on for just $15 to ensure you get the Christmas Saturday football triple-header.

 
Why Sling Orange with NFL Network is your Christmas Saturday football solution
When you get ready to sign up for Sling to experience football, you’ll be presented with two choices right off the bat — Sling Blue and Sling Orange. Sling Blue is a fantastic choice if you’re all about entertainment and news (and it is $45.99, too, with a similar half off for the first month) but if you’re here for NFL games, NCAA games, and other sports entertainment, Sling Orange is probably what you crave. It has ESPN channels, Motortrend, and more to keep you up on sports and sports news.

Read more